Blue as the Sea
by LadyBardock
Summary: Fili was born in a fisherman family, and since childhood he felt a deep love for the sea. When his uncle Dain comes home from a long voyage he takes his young nephew with him. They meet lots of people, and their worst fears come true - their paths cross with a pirate ship led by the infamous Thorin Oakenshield himself. AU- sailing. Kili/Fili
1. Chapter 1

Fili loved the sea as long as he could remember. He loved gazing at the waves hitting the rocky shore and cliffs. He loved drawing the ships and waves, and his mother always kept telling him how much his father loved the sea as well.

Living all his life at the coast, he heard hundreds of stories. Many of them about his father. His mother would sit at the fireplace in their small house and tell him how she met the handsome blond sailor. She would tell him how the man swept her off her feet, how he loved her and how much he wanted Fili. But those stories were always tainted with a shade of sadness. Fili could barely remember him, the misty image of a handsome man who would lift him and play with him. He knew his face from mother's drawings, and the stories mother told him. But at the age of four was the last time he saw him.

His mother wept as a widow, after the news of his death reached them. There was nothing to bury, his body forever lost to the sea.

Fili grew to be strong just like his dad. He helped his uncle's in the fishing village, and as soon as he was strong enough he would sail out on their boat with them and help. His uncles never said a word to him about how big a burden it was for them to support yet one more household.

They gave him a job, they made sure both mother and son had enough to eat and enough to pay their bills. They taught him how to manage the boat, sail and swim. They taught him navigation, and how to read maps. They were fishermen, but Nain had once served on a navy ship, sailing to distant lands and seas. He told the eager boy all the stories of pirates, all the rules of the sea.

Frain the older uncle always kept sniggering that adventures were the death of his father, but the younger Nain kept joking he was jealous he never had the chance to just sail away. Fili learnt from Frain all the other things his uncles thought useful, meaning how to count and how to read, but the most important lesson he got as a teenager were to always count on himself.

He smiled hearing the stories of Dain, the youngest of the three brothers, who was still in the navy sailing as the sailing master on one of the flag ships. Dain rarely came home, usually he was away at sea for years at a time, but when he did he always had the best presents, and the best stories to tell.

Fili dreamt of the sea, he dreamt of waves and distant shores. He knew it was a dangerous life, he knew just how hard the job was, his hands rough from working the fishing boat. He heard about the bad sides, the pirates, the starvation when food was scarce. The fights on board and competition to earn the captain's trust. He knew it was a life full of challenges, and under the begging glances from his mother he stayed.

Faina always feared what would happen when her son would feel the calling of the sea, she saw the symptoms from an early age. But her boy stayed with her, his attachment to her greater then the mystic calling of the waves. Fili her pride and joy. Her last spark of hope and sunshine. His smile always filling her sad life with a bit of laughter. She was so proud of him, he worked so hard to keep them both fed and safe. But even he could not stop the pain in her chest as tuberculosis was slowly taking her health. Her cough would wake him at night, and without hesitation he would bring her water and tuck her under the warm cover. He would make sure she ate properly, and as she was fading away he couldn't help crying.

After the funeral he stopped caring. He went out to sea with his uncles, but his usual smile was turned into a grim grin. He would gaze at the sea and dream of disappearing into the waves. His uncle's concerning glances and their warm words and comfort was the only thing keeping him going.

After a few weeks Dain came home. He arrived late in the evening and the news of the death of his only sister hit him hard. The stone cold sailor cried on her grave and wept for her fate.

"I'm taking him with me." Dain's words startled both Nain and Frain.

"You should." Nain noticed glancing at the boy.

"He lost the will to live. The sea is calling to him." Frain noticed grimly.

"I'm tired." Dain told them glancing at the sea.

"But you're already a sailing master." Nain noticed.

"And I won't become captain. I don't have the background and connections for that." Dain was grim. "I made my fair share of gold, and earned splits and wounds instead of a comfortable safe life. I forsaken everything for my career, I don't have a wife, nor home nor children to come back to. The boy is the closest thing I have to a son."

"And you want to take Fili with you?" Frain wanted to make sure.

"Every year is becoming more and more dangerous, the pirates more ruthless and daring. It'll be my last voyage." Dain told them. "Later he'll decide for himself whether to stay in the navy, or to come back home."

"His calling is very strong." Frain noticed grimly. "Try to keep him safe will you. We love the boy as if he were our own."

"I will do my best." Dain admitted.

Hearing the news Fili just glanced at his uncles and nodded. He had nothing left there anyway, so without a word of protest he packed a small bag of personal things and accompanied his uncle back to Portsmouth.

"You'll be starting as I have, from Landsman, but as soon as I get the chance I'll push you better ranks. Keep your head low, my ship has all kinds of sailors on board, some trustworthy and fair, while others will steal your food and dig holes for you to fall in. Don't tell them we're related, those who hate me will use you to hurt me, and those who notice any connection will treat any favour from my side as special privilege. If that happens don't be Surprized with hearing comments like that you earned my favour by warming my bed at night." Dain did not want the boy to get any false ideas. "The official version is, you're a young lad from my village."

"Clear." Fili noticed.

"Most are here as punishment or caught by sea dogs, so be careful with who you make friends with and what you tell them." Dain gave his last warning.

Getting the papers done with Dain's recommendation was easy, the officer's recommendation standing out and clearly indicating Fili was a volunteer and not imprisoned like some of the recruits.

"Good luck boy and expect no privileges..." Dain bid him goodbye and headed towards his cabin.

Fili just lowered his head and joined the new recruits on board and patiently waited for the quartermaster to decide his fate.

"You're a lithe one!" The mean quartermaster noticed. "The mast shall be your friend from now on, you'll be working the sails boy!"

"Yes sir!" Fili immediately replied.

"Find yourself a cot." The pushed the boy to go inside the ship.

"You're a new one!" A dark haired man with a grin greeted him on entry. "That one is free." He pointed to a cot to his left.

"I'm Bofur by the way!" He greeted the boy.

"That's my brother Bifur!" He pointed to an equally dark haired man to his right.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Fili extended his hand towards the man politely. But Bofur did not shake his hand, instead he forced him to turn it over and gazed at his palm.

"Your hand says you fear no hard work. Good for you boy, few new ones know the taste of sweat and tears." The man gazed at his hand knowingly.

"I worked on a fishing boat with my uncle." Fili admitted quickly.

"Good, you might prove useful and actually survive the first voyage!" The man laughed happily. Fili looked at him puzzled. "You'll see!" Bofur sniggered as another man was led in, clearly he was one of those imprisoned he was protesting wildly and he did not like the fact he was there.

"Those who rebel get it worse." The man advised him honestly. "Stick to me, and you'll be fine!"

"Our brother is the chef here." Bifur added with a grin. "Just follow us and keep your head low."

"So tell me boy, do you know any sailing songs?" Bofur helped the boy make himself at home, and showed him where to put his things.

"Quite a few..." Fili began naming the songs.

"Well it seems you're well prepared for this trip." Bifur smiled and began chanting.

"My uncle served on _Moth_ when I was a kid, he taught me lots of things." Fili admitted.

"So you know what you're getting yourself in to. So what madness drove you to come here?" Bofur asked.

"My mother died last winter..." Fili told them slowly and both men gazed at him strongly.

"So you're trying to find a place in life. We'll boy you've chosen a difficult path." Bifur noticed grimly.

"Or maybe it's the pain and struggle you're really seeking." Bifur added grimly.

"So how did you start?" Fili asked warily.

"We both were imprisoned over four years ago, Bombur our brother joined willingly to be with us." Bifur slowly explained. "You get used to it with time." He added.

Days passed quickly, the first few the worst. Working the mast and sails was a difficult task, but Fili had the knowledge to stay safe and do the tasks he was given. Many of the new recruits were rebelling the first few days, and the quartermaster's whip would remind them of their duties. Midshipmen weren't nice either, often spiting orders and demanding a lot. Fili kept his head low all the time, and kept to the first advice that any order no matter how difficult to fulfil had to be met with a _Yes Sir!_ He watched as many of the new recruits either stopped rebelling, or were slowly weakening because of the severe punishments and beatings. The first one died on the ninth day of sailing out. The man was a village boy unsuited for sailing, he got sea sick immediately and proved useless on board. Many deaths followed in the first five weeks. Mostly due to injuries and punishments for disobedience.

Dain kept his distance, never approaching Fili openly. Fili quickly learned people called him Ironfoot because he ruled the ship firmly. But those who severed with him for years kept telling stories of how fair and brave Dain was. His reputation on the ship was strong, most men respected him because he started from the bottom and climbed the ranks. Most feared him, but they knew he would not punish unjustly, and they would obey his orders.

Following Bifur and Bofur, Fili quickly got to know who to trust and who to avoid at all cost. That didn't mean trouble didn't try to find him. Midshipman Alfrid Masters immediately disliked the boy and showed it at any event possible. Fili kept quiet and obeyed orders, but he could feel the man was waiting for a chance to whip him just like he often did with other lower rank men. And one day he got his chance.

"You move like a lazy fat ass woman!" Alfrid sniggered at the boy. "Untangle the lines and do the sails again!" He ordered angrily.

When Fili failed to do it as quickly as the man expected him to, he found himself down on the deck with the first whip strike his back.

"Alfrid, what are you doing?" Dain's calm voice strong broke the normal chatter on the ship.

"The boy failed to do my order." Alfrid glared at the Sailing master with spite.

"Not from my point of view." Dain told him calmly. "Put down your whip, you use it far too often."

"I'm just filling out orders." Alfrid spoke confidently gazing at the higher ranked officer. "Just because this boy hold your favours it doesn't mean he can be lazy."

Dain glared at him and in a swift move was right in front of the man. He reached for the whip and pulled it out of his grasp in a flash.

"You are over stepping yourself." Dain told him in a firm icy voice.

"Tell me it's not true! Tell all of them why this boy out of all the people on this ship, came here with your recommendation!" Alfrid sniggered and waved at all the sailors around them.

"He comes from my village and I know his family. That does not mean I pay him any special favours beyond what I pay any other sailor on this boat." Dain spoke calmly.

"So you do admit you come from a shit hole village!" Alfrid grasped his chance at attacking the officer.

"That's enough Alfrid. You may be Commander's Masters nephew, but on this ship you are to respect the designated ranks. Sailing master Connolly is your superior officer and you shall show him your respect." Captain Pellew noticed sternly. "You shall give up your whip, and you shall take four extra shifts as punishment for disobeying your superior."

Alfrid glared at Dain with hate in his eyes, clearly he was outraged with the decision. Then he glared at Fili, and both the boy and Dain had a strange feeling more trouble was to come.

Weeks passed slowly and finally Fili noticed a change in the sky, they were in much warmer seas. The sky much bluer and the sea much rougher. He gazed at the horizon, and took in the smell of the sea, so different than the smell of the sea at home.

"You love it as much as we do." Bofur smirked and passed him some water.

"The sea calls to me." Fili admitted. "The same as it called to my father and my uncle."

"We feel for you boy!" Bofur laughed and began chanting, as soon the crew was singing along. Bofur was the one who started the songs and all eagerly followed.

"I've heard gossip." Bifur told Fili as they were resting.

"What kind of gossip?" Fili asked curiously.

"Alfrid is going to be next captain. He's related to Commodore Masters and old Pellew is retiring." Bifur told him slowly.

"That sucks... Ironfoot would be a great captain." Bofur noticed.

"Aye he would." Another sailor agreed.

"They say the Captain is ill..." another sailor whispered.

"That means Ironfoot will be running the ship until we reach the next governor's office." Bofur noticed quickly.

"And what happens then?" Fili asked feeling there was much more to the story.

"Then Alfrid will be nominated Captain." Bifur hissed.

"And that means we'll all be screwed." Another sailor added grimly.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." Fili added.

"The sea is a dangerous mistress, many thing might happen in between." Bofur noticed with a sudden premonition.


	2. Chapter 2

And he was right. After making the next port and resupplying, they set a new course and things suddenly changed. The captain died on the sixth day from setting sails again, and Dain immediately took charge of the ship as the next ranking officer. Everyone knew the gossip about Alfrid, and Alfrid himself claimed he was captain and waved some papers, but until he was officially nominated by an official he could not out rank Dain. Alfrid kept back talking and protesting, but Dain punished him as he would punish any other sailor for disobedience.

Soon the weather proved to hate them, the sea rougher and tougher than ever. Dain confidently led the ship away from the storms, but one morning it became evident they could run from the weather but not from the pirates roaming the seas.

A sailor quickly announced two ships approaching, Dain set the course to avoid them, but the two ships were faster than the heavy navy vessel.

The quicker ship approached from one side and shot at them. A few people got hurt, including Alfrid who was squealing like a girl and begging for mercy. But the ship remained mainly untouched. Dain noticed the ship turn around and the other ship trying to take them from the other side.

"Prepare the anchor!" He told his most trusted them.

"Midshipman Riley prepare the sails! Gunmen to your posts! We're not going down without a fight!" Dain yelled at the men. "It's either them or us!"

"Fili get over here!" He yelled at the boy. "Take the steering wheel and do exactly as I say. And whatever happens don't let go until I tell you!"

"Yes Sir!" Fili replied and swiftly took it from his uncle.

"Bofur and Bifur!" Dain called the two brother to his side.

"Yes Sir!" Bofur awaited orders.

"Tell me honestly, does the crew trust me?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"By all means they do Sir." Bifur told him swiftly.

"Spread the word, we're going to fight but then we're going to do something crazy. Tell them to be prepared to die, if not from the pirates then from fighting Neptune himself! And if they prove to be brave we might as well make it out alive!" Dain spoke in an uplifting tone. "Sing a tune worthy of our last tune!" He ordered Bofur and soon chanted:

"Pull down your colours, you English dogs

Pull 'em down do not refuse,

Pull down your colours, you English dogs

Or your precious lives you'll lose."

The whole crew picked up the tune and soon all the voices sang out.

"Hold her steady, let them make one pass at us." Dain instructed Fili at the steering wheel.

"Sitting ducks!" Nori sniggered seeing the British Navy ship sail calmly.

"More like sitting lemons!" Dwalin joked lightly.

"Keep you focus!" Dori, their sailing master scolded them. "Captain said we're not sinking them, we need to take their cargo first!"

"I hope Balin is careful with this one." Kili noticed gazing at the second ship circling around the navy vessel.

"He'll do just fine." Dori noticed impassively.

"Hold her steady!" Thorin Oakenshield gazed at the boat they were trying to take.

"They don't stand a chance!" Kili noticed with a grin.

"Being cocky never works on the sea boy, don't you dare forget that." Dwalin scolded the young one firmly.

"What ship is it?" Dori asked as Thorin was gazing using his telescope.

"The Surprize." Thorin read the name from the deck of the enemy ship.

"Old Captain Pellew?" Dori asked.

"The gossip is he's ill, and soon to be retired. He's not going to fight us." Nori spoke with confidence.

"What else do they say?" Thorin asked his best spy.

"That some Alfrid Masters is going to be the next captain, he's Commodore's Masters nephew or other relative." Nori informed him.

"Interesting." Thorin gazed at the beautiful enemy ship. "What about Ironfoot?"

"I've got no news of him, but it's possible he's on board." Nori told him. "Who in the right mind would stay around if a weasel was going to take the post you fought for all your life?"

"If he is on board, and if he is in charge, he won't go down without a fight." Dori noticed.

"I've always been wondering, is he as mean and fierce as they say he is?" Kili asked curiously.

"He's a sly bastard." Thorin confirmed. "They seem too calm for my taste." He gazed at the ship using his telescope.

"Hold her steady!" Dain told Fili yet again.

"Ready the anchor!" He told Bifur and watched the man go to fulfil his order.

"Wait..." Dain whispered to the crew. All the men were armed and waiting along the deck.

"You're not going to do anything crazy, we should surrender!" Alfrid yelled at the captain.

"Bofur guide Mr. Masters back to his cabin and make sure he can't interrupt us anymore." Dain gave a firm order and Bofur and two other men quickly got rid of Alfrid by tying him up and carrying to his cabin.

"Whatever happens men, don't give up!" He told them again. "Are you with me?" He yelled.

"Yes Sir!" They all yelled back.

"I can't hear you, are you with me?" Dain yelled again.

"YES SIR!" The whole crew nearly yelled their lungs out.

Dain gazed at the men ready for battle feeling the adrenaline in himself. He watched the two ships carefully approached them, clearly planning to take them from both sides. The first attack already reviled their plan, they wanted to take the ship and cargo. If they wanted to sink her, they would have shot the first time around. Waiting was always the worst. He watched the two ships approach from behind.

"The Erebor and The Black Moth." He said their names out loud.

"Black Moth?" Fili asked.

"You're right my dear boy, that used to be the ship your uncle sailed on. When they took her they changed her name." Dain explained. "These are not just some pirates, we're facing Captain Oakenshield himself."

"The Oakenshield?" Fili heard the name many times before.

"The one and only." Dain confirmed coming closer to him. "We're not going down without a fight." He told the boy in a low voice. "Whatever happens stay near me." Fili just nodded.

"Hold her steady!" Dain ordered in a firm voice. As the two ships were aligning a few first shots could be heard. The whole crew was uncomfortably crouched, but no one was planning to take a bullet.

"Wait..." He whispered to Fili. "And later hold on really tight..."

The two ships were midway in taking The Surprize, when Dain finally yelled "Now!" Bifur and two other men immediately set free the anchor.

"One, two, three, four... Let go!" He ordered Fili, just as the ship did a rapid move nearly stopping in its spot and then suddenly making a wild turn. All the men had anticipated the move and now they were holding on for dear life itself.

"Cut it!" Dain yelled another order at Bifur, who quickly swung an axe to release the anchor.

"Full sails!" Dain yelled. "Set course north!" He told Fili.

"But that means we're heading in the heart of the storm!" Gloin the purser noticed.

"That's the idea!" Fili replied and held onto the steering wheel feeling the ship gain speed rapidly.

"They'd be crazy to follow us." Dain told him with a crazy smirk.

"Keep her steady, it's not over yet!" Dain told them.

"Mr. Parsley do you have the sails ready?" He yelled at the sail master.

"Yes Sir! We're ready!" The sail master replied.

"Are you ready to die?" Dain yelled at the crew with vigour.

"Yes sir!" The men replied.

"Hold her firmly, once the first gust of wind strikes you'll feel it on the steering wheel, try turning against the wind then, we'll gain more speed that way!" Dain ordered Fili.

"They are crazy to go into the storm like that!" Nori noticed as the enemy ship did a surprise turn and headed straight for the enraged element.

"Did you take a good look at the Captain?" Dwalin asked Thorin.

"Ironfoot was leading the ship." Thorin noticed. "They are going to take their chances with the storm."

"Aren't we going to follow them?" Kili asked surprised.

"I'm not planning to lose our ships." Thorin told him impassively. "They have nowhere to run or hide, we'll catch them soon anyway." He sniggered.

"There is a small island to the north west from us, but it's surrounded by rocks. We might find shelter there, but it might also be our undoing." Dain whispered to Fili. "Anyway our chances are higher against the storm."

"Bofur!" He yelled to the sailor.

"Yes Sir!" Bofur immediately went to his captain.

"We're taking the storm head on, tell the men below deck to secure the ship." Dain told him. "Untie Alfrid while you're at it."

"Yes Sir!" Bofur ran under.

"Riley prepare our second anchor." He ordered one of the midshipmen.

"Parsley be ready to reef the sails." Dain ordered the sail master.

Oin, the surgeon showed up from below. "Three men are lightly wounded, and four heavily." He reported to the acting captain.

"Take a look at Alfrid he was shot as well." Dain told him impassively.

"Yes Sir!" Oin rushed back to his post.

"Ori!" Dain called in the clerk, a young boy freshly recruited that year.

"Yes sir!" The red head reported to the captain.

"Bring me the maps! We need to make sure from which side of the island we can approach." Dain ordered.

"You're steering, I'm not giving my life into someone else's hands, when it will get rough I'll take the wheel myself." Dain told his nephew in a low voice and the boy just nodded.

"Shouldn't I take the wheel?" The helmsman asked surprised.

"Are you disobeying my orders?" Dain asked trough clenched teeth.

"No Sir!" The man immediately steeped down but glared at Fili.

The wind was getting stronger and stronger by the minute, and the waves higher. The ship was swayed on the waves like a tiny toy, but Dain had seen worse weather. Their chances were high up until they saw the island, and immediately Dain knew they were approaching form the wrong side. The waves were crashing too early, and his keen eyes caught the sight of what was probably rocks.

He grabbed the wheel and with all his force and with Fili's help he changed course, but the boat was too heavy and the wind too strong. The rapid shift caused the ship to sway uncontrolled and before they regained control it was already too late.

A loud crack could be heard as the deck was ripped by rocks, then water began pouring in.

The ship did not sink instead it got stuck on the rocks.

"To the boats!" Dain yelled, focused on saving as many lives as possible. "Come with me..." He grabbed Fili and made their way towards one of the last rescue boats.

Fili never felt so scared in his entire life. Sailing with his uncles was far safer than sailing in the far away ocean. Here there was no safe land to embark on, no shelter. The cold water hit his back as he held onto the ship, now stuck on the rocks. Half of the ship was under water, while the other half was uplifted by the solid rocks.

Many men were shouting in despair, but Dain pulled him firmly towards the small life boat. He saw dead bodies in the sea around them, clearly not everybody could survive this. Bofur grabbed his hand and pulled him into the small boat, and together with Dain he cut the ropes. Fili was shaking in terror, leaving the boat was near certain death. Bifur looked horrible, there was so much blood coming from a wound on his head, but the medic Oin was trying to stop the bleeding.

The small island seemed far away, and he knew it meant only temporary shelter. The pirates would find them easily when the weather would change and they were doomed.

"Snap out of it! It's not over yet!" Dain slapped him bringing him back to reality.

"Fight boy!" Bofur yelled at him.

"We have still a chance!" He forced Fili to grab the oar.

"Row!" Dain told them firmly. "Row because your life depends on it!"

He set the pace himself urging the men to fight. Fili noticed two other boats doing the same thing, but as the land was drawing nearer it was becoming evident the other two boats were moving far slower against the waves. Soon they were alone. As they reached the beach, Dain looked around and in terror noticed none of the other boats made it. He gasped looking at the men with him, and breathed in relief that Fili was there with him. Gloin, Oin, Ori, Bofur, Bifur and Bombur, made it with them as well.

"Such a horrifying sight." Ori gasped looking at the sight of The Surprize stuck on the rocks. The waves were mercilessly tattering the ship, making it shift to one side. No one on board or inside stood a chance as the boat slowly went down along the rocks.

"We're alive!" Bombur gasped surprised.

"We're not out of shit yet..." Bofur noticed dully.

"We're pretty much stuck here..." Dain noticed. "Secure the boat, it's our only salvation."

"We have to find shelter." Gloin noticed gazing at the rough sea.

"The island is pretty much deserted." Ori noticed. "At least so says the map." He added as Dain gazed at him.

"There is no such thing as deserted islands around here." Dain added grimly.

"Either pirates, or smugglers, or other bastards." Bofur added in a grim voice.

"If we're lucky they are not here at the moment." Gloin added.

"Do you have your weapons?" Dain asked in a strained voice.

"Of course!" Gloin smiled. "But my guns are practically useless after all that water."

"I've got two knives." Bofur grinned.

"We have to get off the beach!" Dain guided them into the trees. They walked in the direction of the taller trees, and soon they came across of an empty shed.

"We'll stay here till it stops raining. But we have to leave first light." Dain told them. "If the pirates are going to follow us, it's the first place they will check."

"What are we going to do?" Fili asked clearly scared.

"They might follow us and they might not. If they pass this way they will find the ship easily, it didn't sink fully." Dain added grimly. "Once it calms down we'll use the boat and salvage anything we can from the ship, maybe we'll find someone else alive if they are lucky." He added after a moment.

"What if the pirates find us?" Ori asked shaken with the idea.

"It all depends on their mood. Oakenshield is not known for taking captives." Gloin added grimly.

"I've heard that they sometimes take people alive to keep them as low rank sailors if they swear loyalty." Bofur added. "A man in the tavern in Cape Royal once told me Oakenshield values courage above all, and what we did was crazy and daring."

"I'm not planning to count on the mercy of a pirate." Dain added grimly. "If they catch us, do not deny who we are, or who I am. Face them head on and fight."

"Yes Sir!" Everyone immediately agreed.

"What if they don't find us here?" Bofur asked the captain.

"Then we'll find a way to get off this rock." Dain smiled. "Even if we have to kill the next smugglers who arrive here."

"Try and sleep, but first take off the wet clothes." Dain instructed them and took off most of his clothes. Fili stared with amazement at his uncle's scarred back, clearly Dain had gone up the ranks from the very bottom.

The next day Dain awoke them at first light. They put on the wet clothes and they moved Bifur under the trees, Gloin dressed his wound but he was worried with the head injury. Ori, Dain, Fili and Bofur scouted the area and found a cave nearby. They moved Bifur there.

"We need to go back to the ship." Bofur spoke grimly.

"Let's go!" Dain helped them push the boat back into the water, and the five of them rowed all the way to the boat.

"It's mostly under water, they might not find it." Dain realized. "We have to salvage what we can."

"I can swim under." Bofur quickly volunteered.

"Ori stay on the boat with Gloin." Dain made the call. "Fili and Bofur follow me."

He pulled off some of his clothes and jumped into the water.

"No one made it, did they?" Ori told Gloin sadly.

"That's the sea, we're not safe yet..." Gloin noticed sternly, he held the boat holding onto a piece of the mast sticking out.

Dain quickly reappeared. "No one had a chance..." He noticed grimly and pushed some things into the boat.

Ori quickly organized the weapons and clothes the captain brought.

"I've got some food." Fili pushed a sealed box they got from the last port.

"Is there more?" Dain asked.

"Yes, but most are too heavy for me alone." Fili gasped.

"Let's go!" Dain urged him.

It took them a long time, but soon the small boat was packed with provisions, weapons and clothes. Dain helped Bofur climb back on the boat, and he asked Fili to follow him inside the ship one more time. He had to take one more thing, the only real thing of value on the ship. He gave it to Fili and motioned him to hide it. The boy just nodded and as they resurfaced he pushed some ordinary things into the boat.

"We'll salvage more next time, let's head back." Dain made the call.

Bofur gazed at the ship clearly very sad.

"Don't worry, there is a chance your brother will make it." Fili told him.

"I'm more worried about the pirates. If they find us, those who are strong enough might be taken, but the weak don't stand a chance." He added bitterly.

"They haven't caught us yet!" Dain smiled for a change.


	3. Chapter 3

They vanished into thin air. Thorin and his crew scouted the area around the small islands many times, and there was no trace of The Surprize.

"Do you think they somehow made it out?" Kili asked his uncle with surprise.

"They might have sailed off towards Charlestown." Dori added.

"Or they sailed down to the bottom." Thorin gasped annoyed. The precious cargo he had to reclaim was lost.

"Do you really believe they had the Arkenstone on board?" Kili asked his uncle curiously.

"That's what my source said." Nori confirmed.

"To hell with them!" Thorin hit the railing with his hands.

Bifur's state was the worry of their small crew. Oin has patched him up the best he could, but there was no way he could remove a steel nail from his head. As days turned into weeks, Bifur's state was slowly improving despite the metal object in his head.

When he finally awoke to everyone's surprise instead of speaking English, he asked where he was in Scottish and Bofur began laughing wildly.

Bifur's survival wasn't the only surprise they got. After creating a proper shelter, salvaging everything possible from the ship, the waited and waited and nothing happened. Ori sitting on the tallest tree using it as a lookout warned them a few times of The Black Moth circling around, but no one went ashore. Clearly the pirates couldn't find any trace of the sunken Surprize.

Soon they all relaxed, the smuggles clearly didn't use this outpost any longer and soon they managed to secure enough food and a source of fresh water to drink.

"It's actually funny, we're stuck in paradise!" Ori joked as he ran towards the sea for a swim.

"A paradise tainted with the blood of our friends." Gloin added grimly. He glanced at the row of graves hidden behind the first line of trees. They buried everybody swept ashore by the waves, including scum like Alfrid and many fine men.

Days melted into one another and when they finally felt safe, Ori yelled he saw a ship approach from the east.

"What was it?" Dain asked in a strained voice.

"The Erebor!" Ori gasped and slid down the tree.

"So they finally found us!" Dain told the men. "Get ready, they have no idea we're here, so let's stay out of sight."

"We need to get off this island." Fili told his uncle slowly.

"Do you really think we can take a ship like Erebor just the eight of us?" Gloin asked Dain in a tense voice.

"We have no choice." Dain told them. "It's either that or we get caught and killed."

"Are you with me?" Dain asked.

"Aye!" All his men confirmed.

"You know the plan!" Dain told them and everyone went to their designated spot. Dain had it all worked out, they quickly assessed which place was the most probable for a ship to approach. They set up the look out so that they knew when someone was coming.

"They are debarking on three boats." Ori told them. "Clearly they are taking some cargo ashore."

"So this is one of their hideouts." Gloin noticed. "How many men are coming ashore?"

"At least twenty." Ori quickly counted.

"So that means ten or less are most probably on the ship." Dain did the maths. "It'll be difficult but we'll manage. As soon as we reach the ship cut the anchor." He ordered Bifur.

"Let's do it!" Fili added strongly gazing at his uncle.

Kili hated waiting, and waiting for his uncle to hide the cargo and come back was always annoying. Being the heir of the captain he always wanted to take part in everything and watching them reach shore and unpack the cargo was boring as hell.

"We're on the lookout..." Dori scolded him.

"On the lookout for what? We're in the fucking middle of the ocean near a deserted island." Kili snapped and hid the telescope.

"You'd be surprised with what can happen when you least expect it." The old sailor scolded him. "Where is Farin?"

"He should be over there..." Kili turned towards the mast, and was hit with something hard.

"We're under..." And before Dori could end the sentence he too was knocked unconscious.

"Cut the second anchor." Dain whispered to Bifur. All the men locked the entrances under deck. Dain took the wheel and in several gestures he ordered his men to set the sails. Getting as far away as possible was their priority. The ship slowly silently began sailing away.

"Is it just me or has Erebor just set sail?" Nori spoke alarmed to Thorin as he noticed their ship slowly move away from the island.

"Bloody hell!" Thorin was pissed as hell, but he knew there was no way they could follow a ship with sails on simple row boats.

"Captain we have found a strange settlement!" Borin one of his sailors called to him.

"Show me..." Thorin spoke in a harsh tone.

"It seems The Surprize has surprised us yet again." Dwalin laughed seeing the neatly organized camp site, full of cargo crates and things salvaged from the wreckage.

"Just fucking great!" Thorin was irritated beyond measure. "They won't get far." His grin turned into a vicious smile.

"Climb onto the lookout!" Dain ordered the clerk.

"Bofur and Bifur tie them up!" He continued shouting orders.

"Fili and Gloin set the sails!"

"There is another ship!" Ori yelled. "To the west!" He yelled aggravated.

"We're screwed!" Oin gasped.

"Indeed you are..." One of the captive pirates noticed grimly. Dain glanced at the grey haired man with tension.

"Get down everyone." Dain made the call.

"Dain?" Fili asked surprised.

"We're not going to be like these monsters." Dain made the decision. "We're going back to the island."

"So it's the end?" Bofur asked surprised.

"We're outnumbered and overpowered." Dain admitted.

"At least we tried!" Ori went down from the mast.

"Ori?" The white haired man gasped with surprise.

"Dori?" Ori stopped dead in his tracks.

"Who is this?" Dain asked Ori curiously.

"He's my brother... But he was lost at sea nearly ten years ago!" Ori made a strange face. "Where is Nori?"

"Nori?" Fili asked surprised.

"Nori is back on the island." Dori answered. "We made it off _The Hermione_ when she was sunk, and we were accepted into the crew."

"Sorry to break this beautiful family reunion, but we have a ship that is going to attack us any minute now!" Bofur broke their conversation.

"Untie me." Dori told them. "If Balin sees me he will not attack. You were going to surrender anyway." He told them.

"We're not people who give up..." Dain spoke firmly.

"I'll handle it." Dori assured them. "I'll make sure you're not killed." He made a promise.

"You shouldn't be making promises like that." The boy next to him noticed.

Dain glared at the boy.

"I'll handle it." Dori assured them again.

"Ori?" Dain asked his clerk.

"We can trust him." Ori made the call.

"Fine!" Dain gasped. "Untie them." Fili quickly pulled out a knife, and quickly cut Dori's ropes. The boy next to him glared at Fili strongly , so Fili hesitated before cutting his ropes. The boy in a quick move took the knife and held it in front of himself.

"Calm down boy." Dori scolded him. "It's over. They gave up."

"Kili, unlock the hatches, and help the men tie them up." Dori ordered.

"You're in charge here?" Ori gasped with surprise.

"I'm the sailing master, not that we care much for ranks." Dori explained.

"Oh bummer!" Ori gasped.

"That was fast!" Thorin laughed seeing The Erebor reappear in the bay followed closely by The Black Moth.

"You can trust our men to do a good job." Dwalin noticed.

"Let's go I can't wait to get my hands on them." Nori chuckled and rushed towards the boats.

As they reached the ship and climbed back onboard, Thorin gazed at his sailing master and the men now tied up on the deck.

"The Surprize has made another surprise!" He sniggered seeing the men."I want them all dead!" He ordered.

"You cannot." Dori interrupted him.

"And why is that?" Thorin asked surprised his sailing master would disobey him.

"I made a promise, that's why they gave up." Dori noticed slowly.

"He did." Kili confirmed.

"Fucking fantastic!" Thorin gasped.

"Nori?" A gasp from the young boy tied up caught their attention.

"Ori?" The witty red head was lost for words first time in his life. "What in fucking hell are you doing here? You should be a scholar in Oxford or Cambridge!"

"The money ended." Ori gasped as the red haired man embraced him. "Mom died two winters ago, and I had no one left." The boy began sobbing. "So I had to find a job, and this was the best I could get."

"Why did you chose the sea out of all the jobs in the world?!" Nori cried with him, and soon Dori was embracing both of them.

"The sea calling is in a man's blood." Dain noticed glancing at the touching scene.

Thorin gazed at his two most faithful sailors and back to the prisoners. "So I guess that means you either swear an oath, or you walk the plank." Thorin told them firmly. "It's your call."

"We'll swear an oath." Dain made the call for his crew.

"Dain Ironfoot a pirate!" Thorin began laughing. "What a fucked up day!"

"So who else do we have here?" Dwalin pulled them up one by one.

"The name is Bofur." Bofur introduced himself. "And these are my brothers, Bifur and Bombur."

"Is that a iron pin in his head?" Dwalin laughed.

"Pretty much indeed it is." Bofur confirmed. "Somehow he made it, although now he only speaks Scottish."

"I'm a chef." Bombur quickly added knowing his profession gave him an edge.

"These are brothers Oin, the doctor, and Gloin our purser. And that is Fili another sailor." Bofur continued the introductions.

"You look familiar, although I can't put my finger on it." Dwalin noticed glancing at the blond boy.

"Indeed he does." Thorin's eyes went narrow. "We'll remember in time, if it was someone important." He added. "Kili! Find them some free cots!"

"Yes uncle!" The boy quickly ran under deck.

"Be prepared for hard work, we will not tolerate any insubordination or laziness." Thorin warned them in a harsh voice.

"We're used to hard work." Bofur added quietly and obediently went under the deck.

The next day Thorin gathered the new recruits and forced them to swear an oath in front of the whole pirate crew of the two ships. They listened to the rules the captain expected them to obey and swore on their lives to obey every order.

"So that means we're pirates now..." Fili gasped to his uncle.

"Seems so." Dain replied curtly. "I never thought I'd be in this kind of position. And to think of it next tour home I'd retire and become a fisherman."

"You a fisherman?" Bofur laughed gently.

"You can laugh all you like, but that's who I am. A man of the sea since birth." Dain joked. "My forefathers were fishermen, and from time to time someone would sail the seas."

"What a touching story!" Thorin sniggered. "And look where that brought you!"

"Back to my brother's ship." Dain noticed. " _The Moth_ was my brother's vessel, he was a midshipman."

Balin looked at him curiously. "What was his name?" He asked.

"Nain." Dain replied with a smile.

"I remember him! The red head always laughing and joking." Dwalin exclaimed. "He stepped ashore two years before The Moth was claimed."

"I thought the name was just a funny coincidence." Balin noticed with a smile. "He was a fine, brave man."

"He still is." Dain smiled. "On our fishing boat, back home surrounded by kids and family."

"So that's what people do when they retire." Balin smiled.

"What a boring idea!" Kili the vibrant youth exclaimed.

"Maybe for you boy, but in reality the sea is a unforgiving mistress. Years at the sea, no family, no wife, no safe home to go back to. Most of us die at the sea, without even leaving a single trace of our existence." Balin spoke in a gentle poetical tone.

"We have wasted too much time here, Nori take five men and scout the island, take whatever you think useful." Thorin firmly ordered. "Ironfoot, you will take one of your men, and you will show us where The Surprize is."

"Fili." Dain immediately suggested, and the boy nodded.

"We should take a boat, it's not far." Dain suggested.

"After you." Thorin motioned towards the boat ties to the ship. "Dwalin, Kili, Borin and Farin, move it!" He ordered.

Dain showed them the spot, Thorin ordered Kili, Borin and Farin to scout the wreckage.

"We cleared out most of the ship." Dain told him surprised the pirate was so focused on the wreckage.

"We're making sure." Thorin noticed grimly.

"If you told me what you're looking for, we would simply tell you." Dain noticed.

"I'm not sure I can trust you that much." Thorin's eyes went narrow as he glanced at the fair haired man. He gazed at the sturdy firm built man, taking in the neatly trimmed beard, and sun burnt hair. The blue eyes gazing at him were intelligent and cunning. Taking Dain into the crew might prove to be a bother. But his real worry was the blond sitting right next to Dain. Thorin could not shake the feeling that he had seen that face before, that the boy reminded him of someone. He was a few years older than Kili, but he was build more like Dain, sturdy and strong. He had the same blue eyes, Thorin realised.

"There is nothing interesting Captain." Farin reported. "Kili and Borin are doing one last check, we'll be done soon."

"Good." Thorin gazed at the ocean.

"There is going to be another storm soon." Dain glanced at the sky.

"So it seems." Thorin noticed dully.

"Are we sailing out?" Dain asked curiously.

"No, we'll wait it out here in the bay." Thorin decided quickly. "No point risking crashing on the same rocks as The Surprize."

"We'll it's not like there was a choice really." Dain noticed sternly.

"You did, but you chose running instead of surrendering." Dwalin noticed. "You killed your crew on the rocks."

"And you would kill them if we got caught." Fili added grimly.

"Contrary to what you might have heard, we don't generally kill the whole crews, just those who fight back." Dwalin told them in a grim tone.

"Surprising no one ever lived to tell that tale." Dain sniggered.

"What's done is done. Any man who decides to sail the seas is ready to face death the very same day." Thorin noticed grimly.

"True." Dain admitted. "But for the young ones it's fun. They think this is just one great adventure. I can't even count how many idealistic young ones showed up, and died up in the first few weeks of voyage."

"The same as young idiots who decide they want to be pirates and try to show up in the wrong places." Thorin gazed at the man curiously. "So this one is one of those who survived?"

"Oh, you can say he's of tougher build." Dain noticed with a grin. "Breed and raised for the sea."

"So was this one." Thorin gazed at Kili, who was steadily helping the two men out of the water. He was startled with the sudden feeling of connection between him and Dain.


	4. Chapter 4

Back on the ship Thorin felt irritated yet again, they didn't find the Arkenstone, his family's only true heritage. He spent most of his life tracking down the current owner, and the rest trying to get it back. Some might wonder why the obsession with a jewel at all, but for him it wasn't just a jewel, it was the reason why his parents and grandfather were murdered. The reason why Thorin and Dis were banished from the family estate and fortune. He had to steal his own boats for heaven's sake. He had his friends Balin and Dwalin next to him, the crew never questioned his orders. He took as much of the family fortune as The Erebor could handle and they fled the country. Finding a safe haven was easier than he thought it would, they settled and they strived on piracy. And Thorin gave into his obsession of revenge targeting Lord Drake's merchant ships. He had heard Pellew was to transport the Arkenstone from London to Governor Saruman, but despite searching The Surprize there was no trace of the jewel. It could have been lost, but his gut was telling him someone had it, and most probably it was someone among his new crewmates.

He glanced at Dain still unable to decide what he thought of the man. It was clear he was an old sea dog, well versed with the rules of the sea. Thorin felt apprehensive of having a high officer on board, they rarely listened to orders, they had a tendency to get into fights and dominate. But so far Dain Ironfoot, despite his iron fame, was acting reasonably.

He glanced at the young man next to Dain, he could see the similarities and the longer he kept looking the more he was convinced they were related somehow. The man they called Fili, was quiet and withdrawn, but Thorin was good with reading people and this boy was much more than he posed to be. The way he glanced around the ship, the way he looked at the stormy sky, clearly indicated he knew what was going on.

Thorin waved at Kili and the boy immediately came over. "You want something uncle?" Kili asked very surprised.

"We'll be here a few days until the storm dies out, I want you to get to know that boy better." He gently instructed his nephew.

"But you said not to trust them..." Kili noticed with startled eyes.

"I didn't say trust him, I said get to know him." Thorin clarified in a low voice. "Become his friend and find out all his secrets."

"Yes sir." Kili replied swiftly.

Fili felt apprehensive, his life from the regular rhythm on the fishing boat, to the all working days on the ship, to the strange pirate ship. The ship was so similar to those he had seen before that he felt comfortable immediately, he knew what every line and rope was for, he knew how to sail a ship like this. But he had no idea about the dynamics of the pirate group, but so far his normal strategy of keeping his head low and fulfilling orders worked. At least he thought so until the blazing eyes of the young brunette made him realise not everyone accepted the oath he took. He knew it was logical that they would be suspicious, but the way those brown eyes were glancing at him carried an unusual weight.

He himself kept gazing at the boy, trying not to be obvious. He liked the way his long hair curled on the ends, how his slim muscular legs easily carried him up the mast. He loved those deep brown eyes, gazing at the whole world with interest and enthusiasm. He could see in those eyes the love for the sea, the same emotion that was filling his own heart. He felt attracted to boys before, but this was beyond what he felt before. Beyond the attraction he felt towards Bard, one of the fisherman from his village. Bard was flirting with him for some time when Fili realised the man was married with three kids, so he stepped back. He would never act upon those urges, despite the ship being a perfect place for fulfilling such desires, the hasty sex done in the darkness where no one would try to see was not what he wanted. Sex was just sex, his past experiences scarce and limited to gentle flirting, somehow crossing the line seemed too finite.

At first he thought the boy hated him, he never talked to him, but his furious eyes would follow Fili everywhere. Then the third day the boy glued himself to Fili. First he thought it was just a coincidence, but when the boy passed him a bowl of food at dinner and sat right next to him, proved contrary.

"So how different is Erebor from The Surprize?" The boy suddenly asked with a smirk on his beautiful face.

"Not much." Fili admitted. "The difference is the crew and captain, but the ship is similar."

"At least here no one will whip you, unless you do something really stupid." Kili laughed gently.

"It wasn't that bad, as long as you fulfilled orders." Fili dully noticed.

"So how was it to be caught on the street and forced to serve?" The boy glanced at him.

"I volunteered." Fili gently admitted.

"You what?" Kili gasped with humour. "How fucked up is that!" He began laughing.

"Not everyone wants to live on land." Fili dryly noticed, feeling a bit irritated someone was making him a joke. Even someone so cute and alluring, and witty as this boy.

"But you know... that's just so crazy, you volunteered to something most have to be forced. You have some kind of masochistic tendency?" The boy asked with a grin and gently pressed against Fili making more space for a sailor wanting to sit down. The moment their legs brushed against each other a cute blush appeared on the boy's face, and his eyes lit up a bit.

"What do you care?" Fili locked eyes with the brunette, and the stare he got back had such a strong flirtatious spark Fili felt himself get excited.

The brunette didn't have to be asked twice, his hand gently brushed along Fili's leg with a silent invitation, and the moment he did that Fili felt a strong shiver down into his groin. Suddenly he felt he just had to respond, as if this was the signal from fate he had been waiting for all along.

Kili just smiled as the blond took the bait. He was so easy to manipulate, Kili had found that flirting was always an easy way to play people. Just a gentle suggestion was usually enough to get his goal. But this felt a bit different. The shiver he felt as his hand pressed against the blond's leg under the table was for real. The blazing blue eyes sent a silent invitation he felt like responding to.

"I'm still hungry." Kili gently placed his bowl on the table, and his hand glided over the blond's leg with zeal. He saw a cute smile appear on his face, and then a short nod. Invitation sent and accepted, Kili though agitated. Kili left the gallery with a smile, confident he would be joined in his cabin soon.

Fili stood in front of the door which he knew was Kili's. He was hesitant a bit, he might have read him wrong, he might have thought it was more than the brunette wanted. Maybe he just wanted to flirt a bit and play around a bit, without any serious implication.

Suddenly the door opened and he saw Kili stand in the narrow doorway with a smirk.

"Do you want to play?" Kili asked with a seductive smile.

"Is that an invitation?" Fili asked gently licking his lips with some kind of anticipation in him.

Kili just extended his hand and grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in. The door shut as Fili's back was pushed into in.

"If you don't know the rules, or want out, it's your last chance..." Kili gasped taking in the scent of the blond. He breathed in the musky smell, which made his head sway.

"I'm not sure of the rules... but nevertheless I'd like to play." Fili spoke in a husky low voice.

"We can just play by ear..." Kili gasped gently licking his neck and pushing him harder against the door. To his own surprise his hands were shaking as he gently embraced the blond, resting his hands on the firm muscular chest. The warmth of the body under his fingers, the smell, the very idea of what they were doing was driving Kili crazy. The blond caught his eye the moment Kili had a chance to take a glance at him. That first moment as the blond was steering The Surprize stayed in his mind as the perfect moment. He was irritatingly placid and nice. Too nice. He did anything asked of him without any protest, without any character. But the way his body felt under Kili's hands was so thrilling he felt like ravishing him senselessly then and there.

As Fili saw those gorgeous lips curve with lust, he felt himself go crazy. His whole body demanding fulfilment, the surprising initiative the boy was taking was like wind in his sails. He gasped feeling those warm lips brush against the skin of his neck, and slowly he realised this would not end on just short chaste kisses and a bit of manhandling. He smiled at that thought, and he just did what his instincts directed him to, he grabbed the boy and pressed him against his body. He saw another smile appear on that beautiful tanned face, and as their lips met his brain switched off. From that moment on it was just pure instinct and pure lust.

Their hands began roaming and touching sensually. Kili loved the gentle caresses of the strong hands, but he wanted more. He bit down on Fili's lip gently and pushed him stronger against the door. He reached and pulled off the blond's shirt and grinded against him. Kili touched very inch of skin he could reach, Fili's skin was surprisingly smooth and unscarred. His back having no trace of whippings, or malnutrition. In the dim light he could see the pale white glow of his skin, and the bright blue shine of his beautiful eyes. The lips answering his weren't timid and shy, the powerful kisses and firm rough hands reminded him this was not just some boy, but a sailor, someone working hard on a ship. The way the blond was showing signs of strength and domination, made Kili weary, he wasn't the submissive type at all. And with every passing minute he was slowly realizing the blond wasn't the submissive type either.

It didn't take long for them to land on the narrow cot naked, their kisses and touches becoming more fiery with every second. The clash of the two strong bodies was like a battle, and the battle itself making it even more thrilling. None of them wanted to submit, so they ended up touching and grinding against each other, and it was pure chance that Kili finally landed on top.

Kili just smirked as he glanced at the blond under him. He felt the strong erection nudge his stomach and the immense warmth of the lithe young body under him.

"I win..." He whispered into the blond's ear.

"This time..." the blond answered with a happy grin, gently shifting up meeting his body.

Kili just replied with a wide smile, his eyes shining with mischief and thrill. Kili gently licked his fingers and gently prepared the blond. The way he was reacting vividly proved to Kili, it was something new for the blond, so he took his time to prepare him and tried to be gentle. As he grabbed his leg gently and pressed in, he held his breath. Contrary to what many people might think of him, for Kili this was something new as well. His overall confidence might give a different impression, but uncle always warned him about interaction with the crew, which limited Kili's choice of partners substantially.

But all the stories he heard could not compare to the heat of the body under him, to the feeling of being inside and fucking him. Seeing those blue eyes gaze at him with lust and pleasure, made Kili realise his battle to be on top was pointless. He leaned in and kissed him deeply, feeling their tongues slide against each other and those warm strong hands hold onto him. He smiled into the kiss, and grinded against the blond with all his strength.

Fili could barely believe what was going on, he found it surprising that being on bottom wasn't as bad as he thought. The way the boy prepared him clearly indicated he was more experienced, and the firm pressure of his body wasn't painful at all. It was like being filled up to the limit, it was like they were connected more strongly than anyone else ever. Which was a stupid thought in itself since many people had sex before them, and many will have sex after. But with that thought Fili couldn't shake the impression that this was what he had been waiting for all his life. That this was not just a chaste fuck in a dark corner of the ship, but it was making love.

And as they lay tangled and soiled with their cum on the narrow bed, as Fili held onto Kili gently and felt the gentle caress of the brunet's hands on his body, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were meant to be.


	5. Chapter 5

"When I said get to know him, I didn't exactly mean to fuck him." Thorin told Kili the next day as the two were analyzing maps and planning the next strike.

"It just kind of happened." Kili replied slowly.

"You know why I always told you to avoid fucking the crew?" Thorin glanced at him warily, and when the boy did not reply he finally began talking. "Because they get strange ideas, they think it gives them more rights and more privileges. Fuck him all you want, but don't make it any type of relationship, and make sure he knows his place."

"It's not like he would get privileges just from fucking with me..." Kili gasped.

"He might think so..." Thorin noticed dryly. "Make sure he has no illusions."

"Yes, Sir." Kili gently replied and focused back on the maps.

After that one night Kili suddenly physically kept his distance. Fili kept glancing at him to see that lustful smile on his lips, but instead he saw them in a thin line. Kili would stay around, talk with him, but nothing indicated any sexual interest. Fili felt disappointed, that one night felt like paradise, and the way Kili had reacted to him was beyond amazing, but now it was as if a wall of ice appeared between them.

Then one night Kili ambushed him in the corridor leading towards the gallery. Before Fili could say a word he was pressed against the boards and his lips were assaulted. Their tongues collided with zeal, hands immediately reaching under clothes and tugging to take them off. The gentle rocking of the ship as the waves were hitting added to the friction between them.

"Not here..." Fili gasped feeling his lover clearly impatient to get down to sex almost without any foreplay.

Kili gently eased the tension, grabbed his hand and without a single word pulled him into his cabin. Their frenzy expressed by clothes immediately dropped to the floor, by hundreds of long sensual kisses, by immense need of friction. Kili playfully tugged on Fili's longish hair, and pulled him onto the bed. Kili was so impatient to get his hands on Fili, as if he was starved. Fili loved the way Kili was expressing his needs, but the words he finally heard from Kili made him jump with thrill.

"Fuck me..." Kili gasped and ground against the blond. "It's my turn now..."

"Whatever you want..." Fili kissed him and held him tightly, gently shifting over Kili.

"Just be careful... it's my first time to be on the bottom..." Kili confessed with slightly red cheeks and a spark in his eyes.

Fili gently pressed the brunet into the bed, kissing him sensually. He smirked as his lips began roaming lower and lower.

"What are you doing?" Kili gently grabbed his hair.

Fili just smirked and gently licked his erection, taking in the length into his mouth. Kili gasped as the blond gently sucked, giving him so much pleasure he wanted to scream out.

"Fuck me..." Kili gasped with a pleading in his voice.

"You're going to have to wait for that... just as I had to wait four days for you to come to me..." Fili grinned madly and forced Kili to turned around.

"What..." Kili gasped and suddenly felt those divine lips on his ass, and he shrieked with surprise as a wet tongue gently licked his ass.

He could only gasped as Fili was preparing him, the tenderness of his lover, along with the lust he was feeling, was driving him insane with need.

"I want to see your face..." Kili gasped feeling the firm finger gently ease his entrance.

"Anything you wish..." Fili made him turn around and Kili wrapped his legs around his hips at first chance.

Those long lithe legs nearly drove him crazy, he gently pressed into him and felt the sudden feel of warmth around him. They kissed deeply as Fili made the first move inside his lover causing both of them to moan.

"Faster..." Kili ordered, and Fili just smirked happily and continued at a slow thrilling pace.

"You wish..." Fili sniggered with a smirk.

"You said I can get anything I wish..." Kili threatened.

"I should add apart from that..." Fili laughed, and the gentle chuckle made a smile appear on Kili's face.

"You're evil..." Kili lifted himself using his strong legs as leverage. The movement causing even more friction and their bodies collided with strength.

"I just couldn't wait to get my hands on you... so now I have you, I'm planning to savour every single second..." Fili gasped into Kili's neck taking in his smell and kissing his skin.

Kili's heart trembled hearing those words, it was so touching and romantic he felt like kissing the blond and grinding even stronger against him.

"You'll have all night..." Kili gasped.

"You want me to skip dinner in favour of fucking you?" Fili joked.

"I've organised some dinner..." Kili gasped and smiled sensually.

"Dinner in bed?" Fili asked and pushed into him in a hard slam.

"That's the plan." Kili inhaled feeling the strong assault.

"So how badly do you want me to fuck you?" Fili pressed into him strongly.

"It seems more than you feel like fucking me..." Kili whined. "More please..."

"All night long..." Fili smiled and sealed their lips with a strong kiss.

"Why did you skip dinner?" Dain was gazing at the stormy sky.

"You're not asking where I was all night?" Fili gently asked.

"I know where you were, the same as the whole ship." Dain made him realise. "You can't hide that kind of things on a ship."

Fili glanced at his uncle worried. "You seem worried..." Fili noticed.

"I don't mind you're trying to have some fun, but remember one thing, don't you dare fall in love." Dain told him bitterly. "That can ruin even the strongest of men."

"But..." Fili gasped.

"Fun. Have fun. Don't treat it seriously, don't hope it will last forever. That way you won't go insane when something goes wrong." Dain told him in a grim voice. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"Why do you say so..." Fili asked in a pained voice.

"I've seen it many times. Few men only like men, some go back to land and fuck women, while others jump from sailor to sailor." Dain told him. "You're not a child anymore, so there's no point pretending relationships like these are anything more than just a way to vent off frustration at sea. To keep busy at boring cold nights."

"Are you speaking from your own experience?" Fili asked in a shaken voice.

"Playing around is fine. But my first few years were difficult." Dain's voice hung. "His name was Ransom. John Ransom, he came from a small fishing village like us, but in the south."

"What happened to him?" Fili asked in a shaking voice.

"The same as with most of the sailors I know. He died." Dain's voice broke. "It nearly killed me. He got pneumonia after a very cold storm. He worked the sails like you, and he had to reef them in the blazing cold and storm. He coughed himself to death."

"I'm very sorry..." Fili gently held Dain's arm.

"You're young and inexperienced, I hope this won't cause you heartache." Dain told him bitterly.

"I'll be careful." Fili gasped.

"I fear it's already too late..." Dain's whispered reached Fili as he was walking away.

Kili was watching Dain talking with Fili with a bitter feeling in his mouth. He took in the physical clones, the way Fili's hand rested on Dain's arm. The apparent feeling of comfort between both of the men.

"Do you think they are plotting something?" Thorin startled Kili.

"I'm not sure." Kili admitted.

"Or are you jealous?" Thorin noticed with a smirk.

Kili glanced at him clearly irritated.

"I'm not jealous." Kili spat at him.

"I hope so for your sake." Thorin left him there. "Don't become too involved."

 _Easier said than done._ Kili thoughts ventured towards the feeling of Fili's lips on his body. The feeling of his body pressing into Kili, the feeling of the closeness and intimacy. He wanted to have the blond in his cabin every night, to have him there forever. He wanted so much more from him, to fuck him daily, to hold him at night. Deep inside he knew he was screwed.

He saw Dain go away, and he just wanted to approach Fili and hold him. He stopped caring if anyone would see them or if anyone knew.

"We're leaving tomorrow first light!" Thorin yelled at the crew. "Gather everyone we're dividing crews."

"Yes Sir!" Nori confirmed and quickly went to gather all the men.

"Crew, we're dividing into two ships again." Thorin announced his decision. "Balin you're leading The Black Moth, Dori and his brothers will accompany you. Dwalin you're staying as the sailing master on Erebor. As to our new crew members, Ori, Bofur, Bombur and Bifur will transfer to The Black Moth under Balin's command." Thorin announced. "The others will stay on Erebor under my personal supervision."

"The other crew members will remain divided as before the capture of The Surprize shipwrecks." Thorin announced. "Balin, please come to my cabin for detailed instructions."

"Yes Sir!" The crew yelled in confirmation.

"Last night here, so rest everyone!" Dwalin told them all. "Dismissed!" He announced.

"Are you going to be alright?" Bofur hugged Fili playfully.

"It's not like we have a choice." Fili noticed sternly.

"Be careful what you do around here... and with whom." Bofur gently whispered to him.

"You're saying I shouldn't..." Fili gasped.

"You should be careful who you trust." Bofur told him. "And to keep your heart locked and guarded. Especially if you take a liking to certain men."

"Stay safe!" Fili embraced him back.

"Stay safe boy!" Bofur laughed.

"I want a hug too!" Ori gasped and hugged both of them. Soon Bifur and Bombur joined.

"Hauld oan tae th' ropes!" Bifur mumbled.

"Ay coorse!" Fili replied. "An' ye be cannie wi' yer heed!"

"You're crazy!" Ori gasped. "Five weeks with this guy speaking Scottish and you speak like a native..." He began laughing.

"Be careful scribe!" Fili gently shook Ori.

"I've had some practice the last weeks, so if you were a good teacher I might have actually learnt something useful." Ori laughed.

"I'm going to miss you guys!" Fili smiled at them.

"Just stay safe boy!" Bombur told him with a smile.

"I'll keep an eye on him." Dain told them with a smirk.

"Och aye keptin!" Bifur exclaimed.

"He's not your captain anymore." Dori scolded him in a firm voice. "And all of you better remember that."

"Yes sir." Fili admitted grimly.

"It's not like I've been a captain long enough to get used to it." Dain lightly joked. "Let's rest tomorrow will be a busy day."

"Finally I've been dead bored with the waiting!" Bofur laughed.

"We're leaving soon so you'd better gather your things." Dori told them and left them there.


	6. Chapter 6

Kili felt torn, he wanted to approach Fili at dinner and invite him over, but the moment he felt his uncle's gaze on him he stopped mid step and sat next to his uncle at the captain's table.

"Tomorrow you're going to play role of sailing master for half of the day, I want to see how you'll manage on your own. I will only interfere if you put the ship at risk." Thorin gave the order. "Get some sleep tonight. Alone." His voice was ice cold.

"Yes uncle!" Kili gasped with defeat.

Fili watched Kili leave the gallery, and he just gasped feeling abandoned. Dain and Bofur were right, he should have guarded his heart better. But what was done was done, and now he had to live with the bitter feeling in his mouth.

Dain noticed the glare Fili got from Thorin as he was watching the young boy walk out, and deep in his gut he could feel this meant trouble for both of them. He put his hand on Fili's leg to grasp his attention.

"Try not to make enemies. Especially with the captain." He whispered to him, and left the gallery to get some sleep.

Fili felt the firm glare from Captain Oakenshield and he just lowered his head, without a word he silently left the gallery to go to his own bed disappointed and lonely.

The morning began at first light. To Fili's surprise Kili was standing at the steering wheel, and he was giving orders. Clearly Thorin had made him to depart the ship, but the shadow under his eyes worried Fili a bit. The first time Kili gave him a firm cold order, he stopped and hesitated, but the second time it was repeated he had to obliged without prolonging. Thankfully no one asked him anything he didn't know how to do.

In a swift move he was on the mast working the sails, just like he had done for months on The Surprize, as if nothing had changed. He could feel Kili and Thorin watch his every move, but he knew what he was doing.

Kili felt the pressure, his uncle was watching his every move and listening to every order he gave. He stood there silently and observed. He had no idea if what he was doing was correct or wrong, but the moment he began giving orders no one hesitated to do them. Only Fili stood shocked for a moment, but the moment he heard the order again he rushed to fulfil it. Kili saw how swiftly and diligently the blond was working, as if he was in his element.

The weather was good, the wind light and the departure went without incident. Around mid day he saw Thorin smile, clearly he didn't have any objects to what Kili did. Actually the lack of feedback was driving the boy insane. It took several hours of leading the ship when finally he heard something.

"You did well." Thorin noticed with a smirk.

"Good job lad!" Dwalin sitting nearby noticed.

"Dwalin take over." Thorin ordered.

The days blurred into the sea again. Day by day set by the rhythm of the ship. Scrubbing the decks, manning the sails, keeping the ship in prime condition.

First few days Thorin was testing his new crew members, he wanted to see just what they could do and how far he could push them. To his surprise Dain did not object to any job, and even the most annoying task would be done diligently. Clearly the sailing master had no reservation towards even the most difficult tasks on the ship, and Thorin was surprised to say the least. Most officers he had met were snobs, over confident and bossy. Dain was smart and cunning, but he didn't mind the hard work either.

Fili was another story, he had given him a wide range of orders, starting from sails, to the mast, to the outlook, finally to put him on the wheel. He was the most obedient and placid sailor Thorin had ever met. He would do any order without hesitation, with a polite "Yes, Sir!" he would jump at any task. Never complaining about the hard job, never seeming to notice the cold of night or fatigue. As he pulled the ropes it was clear the boy was very strong, just like Dain. And he was skilled with any task on the ship given to him so far.

In Thorin's mind both Dain and Fili were a danger to him. Fili catching Kili's sexual attention was another bitter pill to swallow. Kili was pretty much in love with the boy, and despite the limitations Thorin set, it was evident to everyone on the boat Kili had been seeking sex with Fili the past few weeks. More discretely, less frequently, but still it was evident they were sleeping together from time to time.

After sex weeks of observation Thorin was confident he had to do something about them. Both had the knowledge to run the ship and Dain had huge talent at leading. Some of the gossip he heard about the man began proving true. They said he was a brave and fearless sailor. They said he knew the ship and sailing better than anyone. They said Dain was the best sailing master in the Caribbean. And Thorin had to bitterly admit, most of it seemed true. Dain's relation with the boy Fili seemed far too friendly and intimate for his taste, and he decided to use it for his own advantage.

"So where are we heading?" Kili asked during their regular map sessions.

"We're going home for a change." Thorin told him with a smile. "I can't wait to spend a night in a real bed and eat some real food."

"That would be great." Kili admitted.

"Set the course." Thorin ordered him and watched the boy analyze the map. "So have you found anything interesting about Dain and his men?" He asked carefully observing his nephew.

"I'm not sure what you would call interesting." Kili admitted not looking away from the map. "They are tough hard working sailors."

"I could tell that myself." Thorin noticed. "What do you think is the relation between Dain and Fili?"

"What of it?" Kili's voice became cold.

"I was just wondering if the gossip was true after all." Thorin gently spoke to him.

"What gossip?" Kili spoke in a way it sent chills down Thorin's back.

"That he was accepted into the crew of The Surprize with his personal recommendation. Some said he was Dain's favourite on board, and usually that means one thing..." Thorin let his voice hang low at the end of the sentence. He saw Kili look down, his face unreadable, clearly taking in all the information with shock. Then he raised his head and Thorin noticed the boy's eyes gone dark and cold.

"What of it?" Kili asked in a deadly grim voice.

"Nothing, I was just curious." Thorin added.

After settling into the routine on ship Fili finally felt at ease on the pirate ship. The crew at first very suspicious of him, with time they noticed his politeness and kind smile were not only a play to win their favour. Without Bofur around Fili took in the songs he did not know before, and he began chanting those he learnt from Bofur, slowly emerging as the lead chanter. He made friends with Borin and Farin, two young brothers who enjoyed long card sessions and jokes. He got to know everyone on the ship and slowly he knew who to avoid and who to chat with.

But the real treat was Kili, their stolen kisses when no one was looking, the random nights Kili would smile to him with a silent invitation. The sex. He loved the sex. As if his whole life shifted to a new level of happiness. He honestly felt happy, the sea around them was beautiful, the lust between them was perfect and satisfying. He had never felt so in the right place before.

Until one day it all stopped. He had no idea why but Kili just stopped approaching him. He stopped the flirting, the signs. He stopped smiling to him and inviting him over. At first Fili considered it might be the Captain's doing, he could feel those hawk eyes observe him accusingly. But then after several days without any warmth from Kili, Fili caught a glance of Borin disappearing in Kili's cabin.

With every next day he saw the signs, Borin always sitting next to Kili, their flirting and chatting. With every day the smile on Fili's face was dying, and the hole in his heart was growing.

Dain watched the whole rift with worry. He had predicted the boy would hurt Fili, but he had hoped it would take longer. Now after barely several weeks, Fili, his always happy sunshine nephew turned back to the Fili he met when returning home. The gloomy lifeless Fili. He stopped singing, he stopped chatting. His eyes were constantly gazing the sea. His head lost in the clouds. He continued fulfilling orders, but it was as if his life was focused on the horizon.

The growing relationship between Kili and Borin, adding to the salt. Fili was trying to be brave, he was trying not to see and not to feel. But Dain knew him well, and he wasn't surprised to find the boy crying in the dead of night, and as a loving uncle he could only one thing, hold him tightly.

"It's going to be okay..." Dain gently told him holding onto the boy as they sat in the empty gallery. "The pain will pass." He embraced the boy and let him cry out the pain.

"You were right..." Fili sobbed into his shirt. "If only I had listened to you..."

"You're young and you were hopeful..." Dain gently told him. "I can't blame you for that... But you have to stop this heartache..."

"Why does this hurt so much?" Fili continued crying.

"Because it felt real..." Dain told him slowly. "It always does when you fall in love. You have to get a hold of yourself... You have to continue working on the ship, your life depends on it." Dain gently stressed the notion.

"I don't want to..." Fili gasped. "I just want to..."

"Disappear into the waves." Dain replied. "I know, I felt it after John died. But life does not end with heartache. You have much to live for, you have me and your family, you have your friends. You have a future ahead of you..."

Dain looked up hearing footsteps, but Fili was oblivious to the world.

Kili gazed at them with hate in his eyes, and slowly walked into the kitchen. He came back carrying a jug of wine and rushed passed them as if the devil was chasing him.

Fili just sobbed louder.

"It will pass... so just cry it all out." Dain encouraged him.

Kili went out of the gallery with a huge mixture of emotions in him. The sight of Fili crying in Dain's arms shook him to the core. Suddenly he realised he punished him, without even asking what was between him and Dain, and now he probably pushed him into his strong arms. It was all so difficult for him, he wanted Fili more than anybody else ever, but the seed planted by his uncle was drilling in his head. He kept having second thoughts about Fili, he suspected him of sleeping with him only for the benefits, but later realised Fili didn't really get any benefits apart from several nights in his bed. Borin, his best friend since childhood was there to listen to him, and the more they talked the more Kili was beginning to realise he hurt Fili. Borin kept telling him to talk with him, just ask straight forward, he kept pointing out that the merry blond was so grim the last two weeks he was clearly affected by what Kili was doing. And Kili knew exactly what he was doing by clinging to Borin, he knew what they crew would think of it, and the pain he saw in Fili's eyes assured him he got the right message.

The last days he avoided Kili at all cost, which was surprisingly efficient on his part considering the size of the ship. Kili could barely look at him, and clearly the blond did not want to intrude on his 'relationship' with Borin. Kili had no idea whether he should be irritated with the blond's tactfulness or profoundly irritated that the blond just stepped back and did not seem to mind the separation.

"What are you doing?" Dwalin asked him as the two were alone on deck and Dwalin was steering.

"What do you mean?" Kili pretended he did not know what Dwalin meant.

"You're behaving like a cunt." Dwalin told him bitterly. "I've known you most of your life, but I never thought you could be this cruel towards anyone."

"It's not your business." Kili spoke in a grin tone and gazed at the sea.

"The morale on board are my business as sailing master." Dwalin reminded him. "And the crew has noticed what you done, and they will comment."

"Who cares they can comment all the like..." Kili gasped irritated.

"No, they cannot." Dwalin told him bitterly. "The ship has its rules and balance. Sleeping around is one thing, breaking someone's heart is another."

"Back off..." Kili growled.

"I'm just making sure you know what you did and what kind of consequences it might bring." Dwalin told him in a low voice. "You did what you felt like, and if I'm not mistaken the only thing he feels like is drifting away with the waves. And the fact that one of the most skills crew members is suicidal is very much my business."

"He's got Dain to look after him." Kili hissed.

"Dain is the only thing keeping him from jumping into Neptune's embrace." Dwalin mumbled. "The boy has become bitter and depressed because of your sleeping around with Borin. Fine do whatever you like, it's your right. But try not to be so open about it, if the boy actually does it we'll have a rebellion here. Dain will not let it slide. No father can stand his son being deliberately hurt like that."

"Father?" Kili seemed shocked.

"Are you blind or what?" Dwalin spat at him. "They are so much alike that they must be closely related." Dwalin added all the information quickly and finally spat out. "You thought he was sleeping around with Dain?"

Kili just lowered his head.

"Try to ease the tension. The last thing we need is a mutiny because you fucked the wrong person. All of us had their heart broken at some point, but everyone takes it personally when you do it consciously and with intent." Dwalin forced Kili to look at him. "Be more discrete, and try talking with him. At least tell him you don't want him to die, if you have no feelings for him. If he hears it from you, he might actually take it."

"Why do you care so much?" Kili asked with narrow eyes.

"Everyone of us was in the boy's shoes. Young, idealistic, in love with the sea. And everyone had their heart broken at some point of their life, me and your uncle included. Fili is a good lad, hard working, optimistic and cheerful. He's really skilled and smart, and no matter how much your uncle might see him as a threat, he's really a good person." Dwalin told him. "He's liked by the crew, and believe me, everyone apart from you and your uncle would mourn him here."

Kili just lowered his head and walked to the lower deck and rested on the railing clearly lost in though.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day Fili was on the morning shift with Dain, under Thorin's command. Thorin had always put them on his shifts to personally supervise them, and even he noticed that Kili's new fling with Borin destroyed the blond boy. The irritating happy smile finally died on his lips. His blue eyes gloomy and sad. Thorin had seen that look so many times before, and he had seen many people jump the railing for less painful experiences. Dain was watching the boy very carefully, as if he could read and predict the delicate state the boy was in. Thorin vaguely realised the boy was acting as if his heart was broken, and that would mean his affection was Kili wasn't just a ploy to rise in ranks.

Thorin was slowly chocking down the fact that he might have made a mistake, a mistake that might cost a young boy his life.

"Did you know they were related?" Kili's voice startled Thorin.

"It's possible." Thorin admitted. He gazed at his nephew and saw a sea of pain in his eyes. It seemed not only the blond was hurting.

Kili stood right next to him his fists clenched on the railing. "Are you serious about Borin?" Thorin suddenly asked him.

"He's just a friend." Kili murmured.

"You've got everyone fooled then." Thorin noticed. "Too bad."

"What do you mean by too bad?" Kili hissed. "You're saying you wouldn't mind me fucking Borin? But you would mind if I..." His voice hung low.

"I trust Borin." Thorin admitted. "And I don't trust him."

"Fuck you..." Kili growled and wanted to leave, but Thorin gave him a firm order to man the sails.

"Farin get Dwalin on deck, we have a ship ahead of us!" Thorin ordered.

"So what ship is it?" Dwalin asked worried.

"The Impresse, under captain James Worell." Thorin replied in a low grunt.

"We can't take them down alone. And we are much slower than they are." Dwalin noticed.

"Prepare for turn!" Thorin yelled. "To your posts!"

"Are we going to avoid them?" Kili asked surprised with the manoeuvre.

"Do you think they spotted us?" Dwalin asked at the same time.

"They are not turning, so I doubt it." Thorin murmured.

"It's a new strategy." Dain came up and told them. "They will wait to show they notice you up to the moment you sail closer."

"And then what?" Kili asked.

"The Impresse is much faster than Erebor." Dain told them. "If we shorten the distance they will attack."

"What if we sail away?" Dwalin asked with narrow eyes.

"They will turn the moment they notice we're sailing away, and they will attack from behind." Dain spoke in a deadly tone. "Taking the current wind into consideration, and the difference in speed, we would have to set full sails and turn stern."

"Return to your post." Thorin spoke in a firm voice. "Dwalin observe them." He handed him the telescope. And he began shouting orders for readying the ship.

Dain was right, soon the second ship did a turn and began trailing them at top speed.

"Damn that ship is fast!" Dwalin grunted.

"Ready the canons!" Thorin shouted. "When they approach we're taking them down!" He watched Dain and Fili closely. Both men were fulfilling orders without question.

"Dain!" Thorin called him to his side. "What side will they attack?" He asked as the blond joined him on the bridge.

"Worell? He'll try starboard." Dain said confidently, he had met the captain on several occasions.

"Does that ship have any weak points?" He asked with narrow eyes.

"They had a little construction defect, along the water line. One hole there and she should sink, if that is your goal." Dain told him grimly.

"If you lied about that, I'll have your head." Thorin hissed.

"My head is on the line as well." Dain smiled at him.

"Return to your post." Thorin growled.

"Yes sir!" Dain smiled lightly and returned back to the lines.

Dwalin went below deck to give the orders to the gun men, but he couldn't help but smirk. The way Dain was talking to Thorin would clearly ruffle Thorin's feathers. It was high time Thorin returned back to life after the loss of Bilbo nearly fifteen years ago.

The sea battle was quick, The Erebor was undefeated at sea, all thanks to her bloody crew and lack of remorse. Anyone looking from the side would say it was an uneven fight. A precisely hit cannonball made a huge hole on the side. The ship began sinking quickly, and for everyone on board Erebor it was a difficult time.

"I'll never get used to this." Dwalin murmured seeing the sinking ship and the sailors desperately trying to survive.

"Why don't you save them?" Fili's pained voice startled the old sailor. He gazed at the boy who had tears in his eyes.

"We cannot take aboard everyone, it would put our lives and our ship in danger." Dwalin told him in a voice full of pain.

"Life is just a fucking joke." Fili gasped and held onto the railing. He glanced at the whole crew of Erebor watching the dramatic scene. It was evident most of them were shaken by the sight of so many people dying.

"I wish I could join them, it would be much better than watching this massacre." Dain noticed sternly. "That's why I never dreamt of being a pirate."

"What's done is done." Oin gazed at the men in the sea slowly weakening, and the cries slowly silencing. "We're alive and they are dead, it's as simple as that."

"If this is a pirate's life, then I'm not fit for it." Fili looked away from the wreckage.

Kili gazed at Fili who seemed really hurt by the sunken ship. He had never thought much about what they were doing. It was what they always did, he saw so many ships sunken and so many lives taken by the sea. But what Fili said reached to him, it was as if just standing aside was equally bad as killing them all by hand.

Thorin gazed at Kili, who seemed fazed by the blond who was troubled with the destruction of the ship.

"He's too weak to sail with us." Thorin murmured.

"You have no idea about him." Kili hissed and followed Fili below deck.

"Fili!" He called out to the blond. He found him at the end of the storage area, sitting on the floor with his arms around his legs.

"Fili?" He gently touched his arm.

"Leave me alone." Fili gasped.

"It's a part of this life." Kili sat down on the floor next to him, feeling very emotional.

"Then that means this life is not for me." Fili told him bitterly. "Standing there with a frozen heart, seeing all those men die because of what we did, was the worst experience of my life."

"Life is brutal." Kili told him.

"I know, I've been through it." Fili spoke bitterly. "My parents, my mom, my dad, my family, The Surprize... and you." Fili's voice was shaking. "I know just how shitty life can be."

"You're not the only one here... I've lost my parents as well." Kili spoke in a low tone.

"What happened to them?" Fili asked slowly.

"The sea took my dad when I was in my mom's belly. And I took my mom at birth." Kili spoke bitterly. "I had uncle Thorin, and the crew. The ship has always been my home. This is the only life I know..." There was a longer pause. "What about you?" Kili finally asked.

"I barely remember my dad. I was just a small boy when the sea took him. He severed on a navy ship as a midshipman, he probably died just like those men today, down to the bottom." Fili's voice broke down. "My mom was great. She was so loving and caring." Fili spoke in a very quite tone.

"What happened to her?" Kili tried to be as gentle as possible.

"Tuberculosis." Fili told him in a low voice. "What do you care?"

"It's complicated..." Kili gasped and rested his head on the boards. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Fili asked in a deadly voice.

"For disappointing you." Kili spoke bitterly.

"Everybody said you would hurt me. Everyone warned me not to start anything..." Fili spoke bitterly. "You certainly did not disappoint them."

"I should have made sure you know how to play and the rules." Kili spoke equally bitterly.

"What's done is done." Fili noticed bitterly. "I hope you're happy." He got up and left quickly feeling his heart break into a million pieces.

"I'm not happy even one bit..." Kili whispered to himself and continued to sit on the floor with his legs in his arms.

Fili saw the harbour and he breathed in with relief. He never had a love of land, but suddenly the idea of going on shore seemed a blessing at that very moment. The town was nothing like he had seen before. There were four ships docked apart from Erebor and the Black Moth. There were a few houses, and a pub right near the docks. He gazed at the town with bitter feelings, what good was going on shore in his current situation. He was just a slave, without any money without any place to stay.

"Come on lad!" Oin dragged him ashore. "There is nothing better for heartache than a jug of wine, and waking up in the shambles!"

"No thanks!" Fili replied curtly. "Especially for those shambles!"

"Fili, stay on guard duty on the ship!" Dwalin suddenly told him. "You can go ashore when I'm back in a few hours."

"Yes Sir!" Fili replied with relief.

He just gazed as everyone was leaving and only a few on guard duty were left. Fili did not regret not going there, it was better this way. His ship, his home, his prison.

He sat on the deck and gazed at the sea, and back to the town. His job was to make sure no one would come onboard, and later he could just go to sleep.

He suddenly saw movement on board and he approached the sneaking person.

"Hi!" He made Borin jump.

"Hey!" Borin replied. "You sacred me mate!"

"What are you doing sneaking around?" Fili asked him sternly.

"I wanted to bring you some beer." Borin gave him a jug.

"No, thank you." Fili replied coldly and return to his post.

"Don't be mad at me." Borin whispered.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm not mad at anyone, but myself." Fili told him firmly and gazed away. "If you want to have fun please do, I have a job to do." He added coldly.

"I'm truly sorry." Borin whispered.

"You can shove that sorry up your ass and keep it there." Fili hissed in a way which was so not like him Borin stood there in shock.

"I'll see you around." Borin told him and walked back ashore.

"Just fucking great..." Fili hissed and gazed back at the sea praying everyone would finally leave him alone for once.

When Dwalin came back on board and told one of the sailors to take over guard duty, Fili went under deck to his cot without a word.

Dwalin watched the boy with worry, but there was nothing he could do to ease his pain.

They stayed in port for seven days, and Fili went ashore only three times, mainly because he had to carry supplied on the boat. Dain told him he should go ashore even to walk around a bit, but Fili didn't feel like anything. And the drinking, whores, and gambling did not inspire him not even one bit. The boat was calmer than ever, most sailors ashore all the time. Kili and Thorin went ashore the first day and left the boat under Dwalin's charge.

Kili was thrilled to finally be home, to be back to his room, to his bed. But somehow the bitter feeling in his mouth was still there. First time ever he didn't feel thrilled to go back to sea. First time ever he didn't feel like returning to the boat.

"Come on, it's time to set sail again." Thorin urged him, but the sadness he saw in Kili's eyes hurt him.

"I'm coming uncle." Kili told him but without the enthusiasm usually present in his voice.

"Would you like to take the post of sailing master under Balin?" Thorin suddenly asked as they were talking towards the dock.

"I don't think I'm ready yet." Kili admitted.

"Fine, you still need to learn. I'm glad your finally mature enough to see that.' Thorin noticed grimly.

"Dwalin gather both crews." Thorin told his firmly.

"Yes sir!" Dwalin confirmed and called out the whole crew.

"We will be making changes in the division of crews." Thorin announced.

"Balin, you will take charge of The Black Moth. Dwalin you will join him as sailing master." Thorin ordered. "Dain you will stay on Erebor, as the sailing master." The announcement got everyone by surprise. "Kili you will be helping Dain in his role." Thorin added after a moment. "Bombur you will join us on Erebor, Oin and Gloin you will transfer to the Black Moth. Bofur I want you on Erebor, while Borin will transfer to The Black Moth."

He saw his favourite sailor Nori made a strange face, and to his surprise Nori soon joined him.

"Is there something wrong?" Thorin asked him slowly.

"I'd like to return to Erebor." Nori whispered to him.

"Why?" Thorin gazed at the sea.

"You know why." Nori gazed at Bofur.

"You want me to grant a personal request like that?" Thorin hissed.

"Have I ever asked for anything?" Nori asked quietly.

"No you haven't." Thorin agreed. "You may transfer to Erebor, but find a substitution."

"Fine, give me an hour." Nori hissed and blended in the crowd on board.

He came back in less than twenty minutes.

"Borin wants to transfer in my place." He told Thorin.

"Does he really?" Thorin raised his eyebrows. "Interesting."


	8. Chapter 8

"Dain take her out." Thorin ordered looking at his new sailing master. He knew appointing Dain was a huge risk, but after thinking about it for a long time he knew he had to test the sailor.

"Yes Sir!" Dain replied calmly, and confidently began shouting out orders.

Kili gazed at the confident man ordering the ship as if this was his ship. With knowledge and understanding of the ship. His eyes shifted to Fili, who was fulfilling orders without a second of hesitation. The blond was as gloomy as ever, but somehow he joined in as Bofur began chanting one of his crazy vivid melodies. He gazed at Nori, who happily chanted away with a spark in his eyes unlike Kili has seen before. Nori seemed happy, he suddenly realised. Then he gazed at Bofur who was glancing at Nori with equal interest.

"Seems we got a new couple on board..." Orin hissed to Kili with a glare. "This voyage is going to be interesting."

"Just fucking great." Kili hissed back to him, and his eyes immediately followed the blond working the sails.

"You know you screwed up big time?" Orin told him sadly.

"I know it better than anyone." Kili hissed and walked up to Thorin.

"Kili." Thorin told him. "You will be always on shift with Dain, you are my eyes and ears when I'm not here."

"Yes uncle!" Kili immediately agreed.

The next few days the sun was high and burning the deck and the backs of anyone on board. They headed towards one of their secret hide outs, while The Black Moth was sailing south towards one of the ports for a special cargo. Fili's tactic of avoiding Kili worked well, he managed to keep the brunet out of his sight. Often he would be on shift under Thorin's personal supervision, and he didn't mind the cold captain, at least his orders were simply and easy enough to fulfil. The captain never gave him any demanding tasks, for Fili it didn't make a difference, he was lifeless so nothing mattered anymore. Thorin watched him like a hawk, but the blond was placid and submissive. He preferred his sailors a bit more spiteful and witty, but at least the kid did his job more than well, and there was nothing going on between him and Kili anymore.

Fili saw Kili in the gallery at a different hour than usual. He stopped at the doorway, but decided there was no point hiding. He slowly walked up to Bombur and got his bowl of food. He sat down far away from the brunet. He gazed at his food and slowly bit in. It was better than before, Bombur was a great chef and out of poor ingredients he could make a feast for a king. Fili felt Kili's eye drill into him, and when he raised his eyes he saw the brown orbs glare at him. He held the glare but only for a second. Feeling a new wave of pain reaching his heart he looked down to his food and chocked down the tears coming to his eyes. He swore to Dain he would forget about him, he swore he wouldn't cry anymore. A fling, a heartache was not worth ruining your life, he kept repeating to himself. He blinked trying to stop the tears from falling, but soon he noticed the drops fall into his food. He clenched his hand firmly on the spoon and forced himself to eat. He had to eat, he had to keep his strength to work. His work was the only thing keeping him on the boat. He praised the dim light in the gallery, which hid his breakdown. He breathed in deeply and focused on his food. Despite the pain he did not want to die. He wanted to live, he prayed he might see home again. The house where he was raised, his family.

He nearly jumped feeling a gentle hand wipe a tear off his face. He gazed at Kili who was now sitting next to him with a worried expression. He glared down to his food and continued eating, not even glancing back to the brunet next to him. He felt his presence, he felt the leg right next to his, the unmistakable smell of Kili's hair. He felt a new wave of pain hit him, and only his seer strong will was keeping him in place as his heart urged him to run away.

"I'm sorry." Kili whispered to him gently. And the gentleness and care he heard in that voice, nearly caused Fili to tumble and fall.

"Just because Borin is no longer here, it doesn't mean I want to play with you now." Fili hissed and got up and gave back his half finished food and slowly walked out.

"Fili!" He heard Kili's voice in the narrow corridor, but he did not stop. He walked on deck and gazed at the stars above the ship. He leaned against the railing and gazed at the sea.

"Fili!" He heard Kili right behind him.

"I don't have anything more to say to you." Fili hissed seeing Kili lean against the railing right next to him.

"I'm really sorry." Kili assured him.

"Save it." Fili hissed.

"We have to live on this boat." Kili told him firmly. "We have to learn how to do that."

"To hell with it all." Fili noticed grimly and gazed at the sea. "What the fuck do you care? I'm staying out of your way, so stop following me!"

"That's not the same thing!" Kili noticed sternly.

"What the hell do you want from me?" The blond gazed at the brunet.

"I don't want us to be enemies." Kili said to him slowly. "I would really like us to become friends..."

"We're not enemies." Fili told him. "But we'll never be friends either. You do what you want, just forget about me."

"I don't want to forget about you..." Kili whispered in terror.

"I want to forget about you." Fili hissed. "I wish I had died on the Surprize, I wish I hadn't met you."

"Fili..." He could hear the despair in Kili's voice.

"Just because your fuck buddy isn't here, it doesn't mean you can toy with me again..." Fili was nearing his own breakdown.

"I'm really sorry!" Kili could felt his tears roll down his cheeks.

"Save it..." Fili hissed. "Just fucking save it! I can't take it anymore!" He hissed more to himself than to anyone else. He gazed at the sea wishing he was somewhere else.

"Tell me what I can do to fix it all..." Kili was crying right next to him.

"There is no fixing, there is nothing you can do... You did everything you could to hurt me and put me in my place... And you got what you wanted." Fili noticed sternly.

"I never wanted that... I just wanted to punish you..." Kili hissed in despair.

"Punish me for what?" Fili hissed feeling anger at Kili for the first time.

"For Dain." Kili whispered.

"What about him?" Fili spoke in a firm stern tone.

"I was jealous." Kili confessed.

"So you wanted to punish me, and drive me away. Well bravo that's just what you got. Or did you expect me to kill myself just because of my broke heart?" Fili asked with pain his voice. "You're so full of shit!"

"I broke your heart?" Kili whispered in terror.

"Yeah, the biggest joke in the world. A few nights together and you brought me to my knees." Fili hissed. "If you wanted to kill me, using a sword or knife would be less painful that what you did. I'd rather drown in the sea, than go through the same thing you did to me ever again!"

"I..." Kili began and stopped rapidly. "I didn't think I would hurt you so much."

"Would you just leave me alone?" Fili sniggered. "I've had enough of you for an entire lifetime!"

"I just..." Kili could feel the salty taste of his own tears on his lips. "I can't leave you alone." He reached out and cupped the blond's face, in a quick move he sealed their lips together.

Fili could feel the salty taste of tears on Kili's lips, but what he felt was his heart jump with joy. His mind was screaming at him that this was all wrong, that he had to avoid Kili at all cost, but this soul was thrilled their lips were finally together again. He felt the sweet taste on Kili's tongue, and the salty taste of his tears. Suddenly it didn't matter what his mind was yelling at him, his body immediately complied with the pressure of Kili's body against his.

"No!" He hissed at Kili and firmly broke the kiss.

"I love you." Kili gasped with despair.

"Well, you found a fucking fantastic way to show it!" Fili hissed.

"You said I broke your heart... Let me make it up to you!" Kili told him in a breaking voice.

"I loved you, but I will never love you again." Fili told him firmly. "You fucking drove me away because you though I was fucking my own uncle!"

"You uncle?" Kili gasped surprised.

"Dain is my uncle." Fili confirmed.

"Oh shit!" Kili gasped and pulled him to his body again. He sealed their lips firmly and pressed into Fili trying to show him just how desperate he was to have him near.

"I'm not going to be a substitute for Borin!" Fili hissed breaking the kiss again.

"I never fucked Borin!" Kili confessed in a low voice.

"What?" Fili's eyes opened widely, but Kili did not answer with words, he simply poured all the despair he had into another deep kiss.

"Come with me please..." Kili whispered to him. "Let me show you how much I missed you..."

"Fuck it..." Fili gasped and gave into the sweet kisses, and let Kili drag him to his small cabin.

Fili woke up feeling pleasantly warm and comfortable. He could feel the gentle touch of Kili's hand on his back, and he could smell the irresistible smell of his skin right under his nose. He knew he made another mistake, but the night spent on lovemaking made him feel alive again. He knew deep down this wouldn't last again, that Kili was probably going to discard him after a few more nights. But every minute with him was worth it. Every second of love and sex, was worth the pain that will come later. His life was over as far as Fili was concerned.

"Move in here with me." Kili's voice startled him.

"What?" Fili gasped.

"I want you to live here with me." Kili noticed slowly.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Fili noticed.

"Why not?" Kili sat on his hips and gazed into his deep blue eyes.

"I know my place." Fili noticed. "You did everything to teach me my place." He hissed.

"I'm sorry..." Kili repeated.

"For what fuck is that good..." Fili hissed again. "I got to get on deck, I have the second watch today."

"Will you come back here tonight?" Kili asked gently.

"Maybe. If I'm invited." Fili noticed and put back his clothes on.

"You're invite to move in." Kili reminded him.

"Fine, whatever you say." Fili hissed and left.

"You're playing with fire again!" Dain scolded him when passing him in the corridor.

"I know, but at least I feel alive again..." Fili hissed back.

"You're watch is starting soon." Dain told him firmly.

"Yeah..." Fili went to his cot to get a clean shirt and to the gallery to get a snack.

"I thought your fling with the blond is over." Thorin hissed at his nephew.

"I changed my mind." Kili told him firmly.

"I warned you..." Thorin noticed sternly.

"What do you care?" Kili replied grimly. "I love him, and I want to be near him."

"It's not as simple as that." Thorin reminded him.

"It is." Kili smirked.

"What about his relations with Dain?" Thorin hissed.

"Dain is just his uncle." Kili noticed.

"Is he really?" Thorin's eyebrows raised.

"He told me himself." Kili told him.

"Finally some useful information." Thorin glared at his nephew.


	9. Chapter 9

Dain could feel Thorin gaze at him. Somehow the firm sailing master was working as clockwork. The crew extremely efficient under his command. Kili was standing next to Dain, who in between orders was explaining to Kili why he did what he did.

Thorin was still wary about giving Dain so much power, but he knew Nori was also keeping an eye on things, and what he overheard of their conversation was sound. Dain was honestly instructing the boy giving him balanced tips.

The blond was irritating Thorin in a way he had no anticipated. Somehow his confidence and smug smile made Thorin feel alert and bringing him on edge. The blond never overstepped his boundaries, but there was something in his eyes and something in his smile, that made Thorin just want to crush him under him and wipe it off his face.

He felt this kind of tension before, but ever since Bilbo he didn't feel like sleeping around no matter how alluring anyone was. Till Dain. He was a challenge, a firm strong sailor. An experienced sailing master with a lot of knowledge and skills.

He gazed back to Kili now shouting out some orders by himself under Dain's instruction. The boy was so much in love with the young blond he was losing focus. Everyone knew the blond spent a few nights in his cabin, and no one had any doubt what the two were doing over there. But the blond did not seem anymore happy than when they set out, and Thorin wondered why. Fili should be thrilled to be back in Kili's bed, but the blond was as gloomy sometimes as when he was in his most desperate time.

They pillaged three merchant ships at minimal loss within six days and slowly they headed back to the rendezvous point with The Black Moth. Later they repacked some of the cargo to the other ship and headed towards their island to leave some of the cargo there.

"Fili, you shall go ashore with Nori and help him hide the cargo." Thorin made the call.

"Yes sir!" The blond replied with a doubt, and followed Nori ashore.

"So this is the place you guys spent nearly three months at?" Nori hissed at Fili showed him the campsite and settlement they constructed.

"Yeah, pretty much." Fili noticed grimly.

"What going on between you and Kili?" Nori asked suddenly.

"None of your business." Fili hissed pulling the crate along the sand.

Nori was walking around and after a few minutes of kicking the sand he finally pulled a line.

"Fancy hiding place, isn't it?" Nori hissed as he pulled the rope and the hatch became visible.

"Indeed." Fili remarked impassively, and he helped Nori carry in the crates.

"Now we need to hide the entrance again." Nori hissed and began kicking around the sand over the entrance. "It's actually good this campsite is set up, it drags attention away from the hiding place."

"Why are you guys hiding so many stuff?" Fili was surprised.

"Captain's order. This is our insurance." Nori hissed. "So did you break his heart and did he break yours?" Nori asked as they were rowing back to the ship.

"He broke mine." Fili noticed sternly.

"So you're playing with fire and hoping he will actually love you again?" Nori noticed.

"I'm just taking what I can before he becomes tired of me again..." Fili noticed grimly.

"That truly sucks." Nori hissed. "But I kind of get what you feel. Just be careful kid!"

"I'm really careful, and I'm not hoping for anything anymore." Fili noticed as they were reaching the ship again.

"Good luck with that..." Nori helped him tie the boat and climb back onboard.

After nearly four weeks of sailing Fili was on Kili's and Dain's shift the first time since port. He gazed at his uncle and his lover standing at the steering wheel. With Dain there he was given tasks Thorin would never give him. More challenging and more exciting.

"The weather is going to become rough." Dain told Kili.

"Shouldn't we call uncle?" Kili asked.

"We should, but first let's prepare the ship for the storm." Dain told him. "What should we do?" And Kili began reciting what Dain told him about storms and ways of avoiding them or facing them.

"Farin, call the captain on deck." Kili ordered the young sailor, and he began shouting orders at the sailors on deck to prepare the ship.

"Captain, a storm is approaching." Kili informed him and told him because the preparations he already took.

"Good job." Thorin praised him with a smile. "We shall try to avoid the storm by hiding behind that island." He told him.

"Yes uncle! I already set course." Kili confirmed.

"Good." Thorin smiled, and watched Dain carefully, and then gazed at the nervous crew. They were frantically preparing the ship for the storm.

"Pray we don't crash like The Surprize!" Thorin hissed at Dain with spite.

"We won't." Dain smiled back. "No rocks here!" His smile went even wider.

"Let me ask you one thing, if we were to reef the sails and face the storm, who would you tell to do the job?" Thorin asked suddenly.

"Only one person I trust to do the job and be strong enough." Dain noticed.

"Would you really send your own blood into the heart of the storm?" Thorin asked gazing at the blond working the ropes.

"He's seen worse." Dain noticed sternly. "He's no pushover, he's been born and bred for this."

"Has he really?" Thorin hissed and watched the blond again.

"Fifteenth generation from his mother's side, and tenth generation from his father's side. He began working the boat at the age of ten." Dain informed him slowly.

"You speak as if you know him all his life." Thorin noticed.

"I do." Dain smiled. "He's a very good kid."

"Whatever..." Thorin hissed.

The storm passed soon and the ship and crew were safe. Fili lay on Kili's narrow bed and listened to his breathing and thanked Mahal they were both alive. He wanted Kili safe and sound, he did not care much about himself anymore, but he'd die if that meant Kili lived. He had to face it, no matter how much he tried to keep distance and his heart in check, it didn't work.

He loved everything about the brunet, his laugh, his smile. His hair as it waved on the wind, the smell of the salty water on this skin. The heat of his body in bed, the pressure of his weight on himself. And slowly deep down he knew if Kili scorned him again he would do it. He would just take the plunge down.

Caressing the skin of his lover and he felt him stir in his sleep. "I love you..." Kili gasped. But Fili did not reply. Deep down he still feared Kili would leave him again, he knew he would. It was just a matter of time, and he would take as much love Kili had to give until that day came.

"Kili I want you take over the boat on your own today." Thorin told him one day.

"Dain follow me." Thorin told the blond in a firm voice.

"Is there something you need from me?" Dain asked with a spark in his eyes as the door to the captains quarters shut behind him.

"That depends." Thorin noticed with a smirk.

"On what?" Dain's eye brows rose as with amusement.

"Do you really think the kid can handle the ship for an hour or so?" Thorin grinned.

"He should do fine." Dain noticed pretending he did not catch what Thorin was really asking. "Why do you ask?"

"Would you like to play?" Thorin asked slowly, still hesitant if he should do this.

Dain just smiled hearing the invitation. "I thought you'd never ask..." He cut the distance between them and stood right in front of the captain. Ranks worked from up to down, and he as the lower rank could never approach a captain in this way, but he felt the invitation was exactly what he thought it to be so he just sealed their lips and a chaste soft kiss.

Thorin ground against him impatiently. "Don't think this will give you any special privileges..."

"And here I though you wanted me to be bound to you..." Dain hissed pulling the shirt off Thorin.

"Don't think too much of this..." Thorin gasped feeling his warm lips venture down his chest.

"I've been thinking quite a lot about how to fuck you..." Dain sniggered pretending he did not catch the implication. "And I have a feeling you've been thinking about exactly the same thing." He hissed groping Thorin's erection.

"So as your captain I order you to show me exactly what you've been thinking about..." Thorin hissed as Dain landed on the floor in front of him, just to give him a slow sensual blow job.

"Do you really think he can handle it?" Thorin asked worried as the ship was rocking a bit more.

"Call it a test." Dain hissed. "Fili and Nori are there as well, don't worry..." He smiled and pulled Thorin onto the bed.

Kili was standing there impatiently, he was very nervous with his test and function to play. But Nori was right by his side and the crew obediently did any task. He had no idea what was taking Dain and Thorin so long, but he had no doubt he didn't really want to know.

"The waves don't look good." Nori hissed as the boat began rocking. "Looks like another storm heading our way."

"Is there any place around here where we can hide?" Kili asked worried.

"I'm not sure, give me a moment." Nori gazed at the map. "It's a longer distance."

"So we better prepare to take on this storm." Kili noticed and began shouting out orders just as Dain had instructed him.

Fili gazed at him with a worried face. Nori caught it and called him over to the bridge.

"What's wrong?" He hissed at the blond.

"I just had a strong déjà vu." Fili noticed grimly. "We better reef the sails like right now. Are there any rocks in this area?"

"What about Dain and Thorin?" Nori hissed.

"Give them a bit more time and call them out." Fili hissed at him.

"Kid are you fine?" Nori hissed at pale Kili.

"I'm not sure I can handle this alone." Kili admitted seeing the thick storm clouds.

"You're not alone, you have me and Fili here." Nori told him firmly. "And a very skilled crew. You know what to do so just do as you've been taught."

"Fili will you take the wheel?" Kili asked gently putting his life into the hands of the strong experienced blond.

"Yes Sir." Fili treated it as an order and quickly did as instructed.

"Reef the sails." Nori told Kili gently, and Kili just nodded and shouted out the orders.

Soon Thorin came outside with a worried scowl, he gazed at the blond at the steering wheel, then to the reefed sails and the stormy horizon.

"You did well." He told Kili, and took over the boat. "Nori take the steering wheel."

"Yes sir!" The red head jumped to full fill the order.

"All hands on deck!" Thorin shouted and began barking orders to the crew.

The night was long and tedious and very wet. But after hours of sailing in the storm finally it began clearing around dawn.

Thorin appointed a shift to stay on deck under Dain, and he himself went to rest a bit.

"I'll take over soon." He told Dain, and the blond just nodded with a smile.

Kili grabbed Fili's hand as soon as they were called off, and dragged him towards his cabin for a bit of rest. Fili was working really hard at night, running up and down the mast and fastening the sails. Kili was helping the best he could as well, so soon they both dozed off holding on to each other tightly.

"Move in here." Kili told Fili when they awoke several hours later.

"That's not a good idea." Fili sternly noticed.

"Why not? They already know we're fucking each other anyway." Kili hissed."So what's the point hiding it."

"Fucking is one thing, moving in here it's another." Fili told him grimly.

"What do you mean?" Kili asked slowly.

"We can fuck all you like. But I don't want to irritate the captain more than I'm already doing it. He doesn't like me fucking you, so moving in is a really bad idea for me." Fili told him.

"Uncle would never hurt you for my sake." Kili noticed. "He knows I love you."

"Yeah right." Fili hissed, doubting both options. "Anyway it's better this way."

"For who?" Kili hissed back.

"For me, if you decide to leave me." Fili told him slowly.

"I'm never leaving you ever again." Kili told him with spite. "Although it does hurt like hell that you don't have any faith in me."

"Can you really blame me?" Fili hissed and put on his still slightly wet clothes. "I need to get to work."

"Fili!" Kili called him, but the blond just closed the door behind him.


	10. Chapter 10

"So you and Thorin?" Fili asked in a low voice as Dain was steering the boat.

"Nothing official or worth mentioning." Dain hissed. "Just some fun. Not like you and Kili."

"It's only some fun for Kili." Fili hissed back.

"And you're risking everything again, is it really worth it?" Dain asked slowly.

"Everything is worth even a few minutes with him by my side." Fili told him.

"If you need me I'm here." Dain told him with a gentle smile.

"Do you think we'll ever see home again?" Fili asked him gazing at the endless sea.

"I doubt it." Dain answered.

"Too bad. So if everything goes to hell, we might as well go down with it." Fili hissed and went back to the ropes.

"Are you serious about the boy?" Thorin gazed at Kili strongly.

"Are you serious about his uncle?" Kili hissed back.

"Nope, just plain old fun." Thorin hissed.

"Too bad." Kili noticed.

"So we could live like one big man fucking family?" Thorin raised his eyebrows.

"Half of the crew is man fucking and family at the same time." Kili smirked. "It'd be nice."

"Stop day dreaming boy!" Thorin scolded him.

"I asked him to move into my cabin, but he refused." Kili noticed dully.

"At least he's the smart one." Thorin replied calmly.

"I love him." Kili told him uncle firmly.

"You only think that now, we'll see what you say after a year or two. He's too soft for this life." Thorin told Kili.

"Say what you want." Kili hissed. "I'm going to do exactly what I want."

Kili felt upset that both Fili and Thorin doubted him. He needed the blond desperately. Only in his arms he felt safe, only with him in his bed he felt complete. Fili insistence on not moving in, Thorin's words kept ringing in his head. The blond never replied to his love declarations, which stung like hell. So he just stopped, one day he just stopped saying it. Since it was meaningless and unanswered anyway.

Fili would come over for some nights, but he rarely stayed the whole night. Kili wanted so much more, and he felt like he was getting scarps of the blond's attention. He felt like any attempt to invite him over was like begging. And he was tired of begging. He was tired of the wall in between them. Anytime he tried talking to Fili, there was another wall in between, and with his insistence the blond was colder and colder.

Kili sat there feeling cold, as the blond was getting up. The dim light helping to conceal just how sad he was.

Fili gazed at Kili with pain, the sex had changed. There was less passion, and less emotion in it. He couldn't remember when the last time he heard Kili say he loved him. Something was missing and he was slowly realising something in between them was gone.

Leaving him then he made a decision not to come over unless invited directly, a cold feeling of rejection stinging so badly he thought he would die right then and there.

"What's going on?" Nori asked Kili in a very worried voice.

"Nothing..." Kili just shrugged.

"Bullshit..." Nori gasped annoyed. "Talk to me..."

"It's just... it just seems it's over..." Kili noticed grimly.

"Then why do you both act as if someone broke your hearts?" Nori asked him gently.

"He... he just stopped coming to me and I'm tired of begging." Kili told him slowly.

"Are you sure that's the case?" Nori asked him slowly. When he saw Kili did not understand what he was hinting at he just gasped and continued. "You hurt him a lot... you broke his heart... he gave you another chance, something no sane or rational person would do after the trick you pulled. If he gave you a second chance, that can only mean he loves you deeply."

"He doesn't love me... he said he will never love me again..." Kili felt the tears roll down his face.

"Then why is he acting as if the world had ended? Why has he become so reckless even your uncle gives him the safest tasks possible?" Nori asked him slowly. "Love is not easy... but life is always better together." He added his bit.

"You love Bofur don't you?" Kili gently asked.

"With all my heart. I hate and love him at the same time. He's just... the only person for me in this whole fucked up world." Nori noticed.

"I just lost mine..." Kili had tears again in his eyes.

"Man up and talk to him. Make up with him. You two are breaking everyone's heart around. If any two people are meant to be together it's the two of you." Nori gently noticed.

Kili just walked away feeling it was too much for him.

As they were sailing on the weather was getting bad again. Thorin ordered them to sail seeking shelter behind one of the islands.

"We need to change that sail." Dain noticed grimly as one of the sails got ripped because of the strong wind.

"Fili detach the line!" Dain ordered. "Bring in the sail!" The crew quickly fulfilled the orders pulling the lines to get the sail.

The rest of the sail was waving madly, and the ship was slowly losing speed.

"Bofur and Nori get a new sail!" Thorin shouted at the men.

"We better not set up a new one, it's too dangerous as it is." Dain noticed. "Maybe we should reef the sails?"

"We need shelter..." Thorin noticed grimly.

Focusing on the environment they failed to notice Kili walking towards the mast. The sail suddenly inflated again as the men were trying to fold it, and it blew Kili against the railing. Before he could even grasp what was happening, he was falling overboard.

"Kili!" Nori yelled, but before anybody could do anything, Fili detached the sail completely and jumped into the sea holding the sail line after him.

"Hold the sail!" Dain yelled as the sail began going overboard because of the pull on the line.

"Those fucking idiots!" Thorin gasped and quickly ordered the crew to reef all the sails to slow down the boat even more.

"We got them!" Nori urged the men to pull the sail back on board. "Heave!" He ordered in a strong voice and all the men followed him. Dain was quickly at his side and helping pull the sail back on board and the two people holding the line at the end.

Fili was holding onto Kili desperately but the boy wasn't really responsive. The moment they pulled him on deck, water poured out of his mouth.

"Get Oin!" Thorin yelled, and watched Dain quickly put the boy on his side so that more of the water could come out.

"Come on..." Nori held Fili tightly. "Calm down... you're both back on board..."

"Breathe... breathe boy..." Oin urged Kili forcing the water out of his lungs. The crew held their breath as Kili finally began coughing.

"Thorin!" Dain yelled from the wheel.

"What?" Thorin yelled back.

"We're in deep shit!" Dain pointed to an unusually tall wave.

"Get him under deck!" Thorin quickly ordered. "Brace yourselves!" He ordered. Everyone grabbed old a line or the ship, and when the wave washed across the deck, nearly making the ship flip.

"Damn that was too close!" Dain began laughing.

"What a fucked up day!" Bofur followed him.

Oin and Nori carried Kili to his cabin and Fili followed them on shacking legs. Almost losing the person he loved most was so close and so dreadful, he couldn't shake the feeling Kili could just die any moment.

"Watch over him..." Nori gently told him and left them just to run back to the deck.

Fili held Kili's hand all night, he listened to his heart beat and breathing, worried he might be gone.

"Hey..." Fili's gently words were the first thing Kili hear when he awoke. He gazed surprised at Fili's hand holding his own, but the moment the blond noticed the glare he let go with regret.

"How are you feeling?" Fili asked gently.

"Like I swallowed a tonne of water... what the hell happened?" Kili asked surprised.

"You feel overboard..." Fili gently told him. "You did swallow a lot of water..."

"Fucking great... has the stupid storm ended?" Kili asked.

"Yeah, it should be dawn soon. Would you like something to eat or drink?" Fili asked him gently.

"Water... but without salt..." Kili gasped.

"Give me a minute..." Fili rushed out to get his request.

"Here you are..." He handed Kili a bottle.

"Thank you..." Kili gazed at him slowly. "You don't have to be here..." He noticed slowly seeing the blond sit on the only bed in the room.

"I promised to watch over you." Fili gently noticed.

"I'm fine now..." Kili replied. Fili saw some kind of pain in his eyes, and he lowered his head and got up.

"As you wish." Fili gasped feeling the pain of rejection yet again.

Thorin gazed at Kili strongly, the boy was very pale, and lifeless since the accident. He stayed mostly in bed, and was obviously depressed.

"You were practically dead... it's rare to pull someone out during a storm... I hope you thanked him." Thorin suddenly noticed.

"What?" Kili gazed at him surprised.

"You should thank Fili, if he hadn't jumped into the water after you, you'd be dead." Thorin told him slowly. "I was wrong about him."

"He did what?" Kili gazed at him surprised feeling tears come to his eyes.

"He risked his own life to save you... I know you're not together anymore, but there are few people who would do that. And even fewer who would do that for an ex lover." Thorin slowly told him. "He didn't tell you?"

Kili just shook his head as a reply. "He doesn't come here anymore."

"Then maybe you should go to him?" Thorin gently suggested. "No matter what your feelings are now, but he deserves a thank you at least."

Kili looked at him panicked. He avoided going out not to face reality anymore, he would sneak out to the latrine and come back. He gazed at Thorin strongly, and he knew his uncle was right. He had to face reality eventually.


	11. Chapter 11

Fili was gazing at the sea more than ever. The third rejection nearly killed him on the spot, running out of Kili's cabin he just wanted to jump. But rationality stopped him. Until there was still a chance, he would stay. Something deep inside him wanted to live, he dreamt of going home, of seeing his family. But his broken heart hurt like hell. Kili was his own private hell.

Two weeks after the accident and still nothing from Kili, drove Fili insane. He knew he was fine, Oin would see him regularly and report to Thorin, but the boy would not come out.

Fili could only come to one conclusion, he didn't want to see him so badly he secluded himself inside the tiny cabin. Fili began feeling bitter and lost. He just stopped talking to anyone. He gazed at the sea, and he could remember of feeling of water engulfing him as he jumped in to save Kili. Without the line, there was no coming back to the ship, especially with the speed at full sail. He longed to feel that feeling again and to just forget about everything.

He waited for a long time and he was done waiting. As the night shift slowly took over he found himself a quiet place to think. As every evening he sat on the railing and gazed down at the endless welcoming sea.

Suddenly two warm arms embracing him from behind startled him.

"You scared me... you shouldn't be sitting like this, it's dangerous..." Kili's voice made him feel utterly surprised.

"I do this all the time..." the blond replied trying to keep his voice calm. He was planning on jumping anyway.

"Could you please stop doing it?" Kili asked him gently.

"What do you care?" The blond hissed feeling irritated those arms were still around him holding him tightly.

"Thank you." Kili replied slowly. "For saving my life."

"You're welcome... now could you please let go?" Fili noticed sternly.

"Will you come back on the deck?" Kili asked him.

"Whatever..." Fili hissed and as soon as Kili let go he flipped his legs back on board.

"Happy?" Fili finally asked standing back on the deck. Kili was just a tiny step away from him, not moving at all.

"I'm happy you're safely back on deck." Kili noticed slowly in taking the way Fili was looking at him, with some kind of sternness and rejection in his eyes. "Why didn't you come and visit me?"

Fili wanted to hiss something like 'Just because you were selfishly sulking didn't mean I had to visit...' but instead his lips whispered what his mind did not want him to say. "I wasn't sure if I was welcome..."

"You are always welcome..." Kili whispered. "Can we go and talk there? It's a bit more private than here."

"Fine..." Fili inhaled deeply, feeling a bit hollow, but unable to reject the invitation. The invitation he wanted and dreaded at the same time. He could always jump tomorrow, or any other day... but with one more divine memory in his head.

Kili honestly wanted to talk, he wanted to tell the blond what he really felt and how deep he felt about him. How grateful he was the blond managed to save him. But the moment the door closed the blond pressed him against the door and devoured him. He pulled him close and with some desperate urgency tugged on Kili's clothes. Kili felt thrilled with the lust the blond was showing, he was thrilled with the way his hands were roaming his body and he was dominating. As if nothing else mattered than their connection, as if nothing mattered then the touch of their bodies.

It was heaven to feel the sparks again, to feel the deep passion that bought them close. Kili thrived feeling the power with which the blond was taking him. As if he was desperate, as if this was the last night they would share.

"I want to look into your eyes..." Kili gasped as the blond held him against the door.

"Whatever you want..." Fili pulled out and pushed him towards the narrow bed. Kili immediately wrapped his legs around his hips and his arms around his neck. Thrilled they were close again, thrilled there were doing this again.

Fili took whatever Kili would give, the thrill of being yet again with him filling his soul with love. He loved the way they made love, he loved the friction and tension. He loved the lust. One more night... just one more night would be enough. Enough to die happy. Enough to go down to the bottom without regret having the most beautiful memories in his mind. Feeling his completion hit him rapidly he could feel the tears fall down his cheeks. It was beautiful, so fucking beautiful he pulled out with regret. He felt the warm arms still embrace him welcoming so he rested his head on the pillow and let himself catch his breath again.

"Stay the night please... I missed you..." Kili whispered into his ear tenderly. So he stayed, he held on tightly and stayed.

When Kili awoke he felt the gentle smell of Fili's skin under his nose. He was happy the blond stayed, and didn't sneak out like in the past. He gently kissed his neck and jaw, and saw a happy smile .

"Good morning Sunshine..." Kili kissed him tenderly.

"Good morning." Fili replied gently.

"I'm not planning to go out of this room much today... would you stay with me?" Kili asked him gently. "We still need a bit of talking..."

"I have the second day shift." Fili noticed gently.

"Oh..." Kili inhaled. "Can we talk now?"

"We can do whatever you want..." Fili replied gently.

"What do you want? I mean like from life?" Kili gently asked him.

"Nothing really." Fili noticed. "It would be nice to see the rest of my family again, but they are far away and I'll probably never see them again."

"Are you happy?" Kili gently asked him.

"Generally or right now?" Fili asked slowly.

"Right now?" Kili gently traced his chest with his fingers.

"It's okay..." Fili told him. "Being here with you is nice." He belittled his own emotions, not wanting to show too much.

"Nice?" Kili's voice was filled with disappointment.

He desperately wanted to connect more to Fili, but Fili didn't seem into real talking...

"Will you please move in here with me?" Kili asked him gently.

"No." Fili didn't elaborate setting even more distance in between.

"Why not?" Kili asked him.

"It doesn't make sense." Fili just shrugged keeping to himself what was going on in his head.

Kili felt chills hearing those words. "So you don't want to be together?" He asked slowly.

"Not really." Fili admitted despite the pain. "You're going to get bored with me again after a few weeks, so no point in moving in or making this official."

"What if I told you I was serious?" Kili asked slowly.

"Then I would tell you to save that crap for your next lover." Fili admitted bitterly.

"There will never be anyone else in my life." Kili told him in a painfully low whisper.

"Save the crap." Fili noticed grimly. "You scorned me twice already... you broke my heart... so I'm not going to risk a third. Sex if fine, we can have sex, I can sometimes stay if you invite me... but nothing more."

"I'm not sure that's what I want..." Kili noticed. "I could have sex with just anyone... I want to be with you."

"Take it or leave it." Fili noticed. "No difference for me."

"No difference?" Kili noticed in a painful voice.

"No difference." Fili repeated with conviction.

"Fine... but I want sex every night." Kili firmly took a stand.

"That's like moving in..." Fili noticed grimly.

"Take it or leave it..." Kili noticed.

"Sorry kiddo, but no can do." Fili got up from the bed and gathered his clothes.

"Damn you..." Kili pushed him into the door before he could leave. "Damn you..." Kili embraced him tightly from behind and began crying resting his head on his back.

"Don't leave me... please don't fucking leave me... without you I have nothing to live for... When you're like this, so distant and so firm... I just wish you didn't save me back then... you could have just let me go under... it would be better than living my life without you..." Kili broke down and began sobbing desperately. "Why did you save me if only to walk out on me?" He was shaking desperately and forcing Fili to stay there.

"I'd die just so you would live." Fili admitted in a low voice. They way Kili was holding onto him, his world, shook him quite a bit.

"What for? I would just jump right back in to join you..." Kili continued crying. "I can't live without you... Why would you die to save me, and not live with me later? That's like death over and over again..."

"It's enough for me to know you're fine now... I don't need more..." Fili noticed and turned around to embrace him fully. "Just knowing you're fine makes me happy..." He noticed.

"Then why don't you want me anymore? I know I screwed up, I know I'm an ass and I hurt you... but please don't reject me... I'd do anything for you..." Kili looked into his eyes with tears.

"You don't have to... you don't have to do anything for me..." Fili noticed. "I don't matter anymore and I should not matter in your life..."

"Stop talking like that... stop telling me you don't want me anymore... that fucking hurts so fucking much..." Kili continued sobbing in his arms.

"I never said I don't want you... I said I know I can't have you... I'm not what you need..." Fili gently told him.

"You can have me... please..." Kili noticed in a breaking voice.

"Your uncle won't allow it." Fili noticed.

"I won't give him a choice..." Kili noticed in a gasp. "You're all that matters to me... I love you so fucking much it hurts... I just want to be next to you..."

Fili inhaled deeply hearing those magical eternal words. Words his heart wanted to heart, but words he feared Kili was using to manipulate him again.

"Just the last few weeks, you could live without me just fine, before that the same... you just stop inviting me over, not to mention the previous time when you switched me for Borin... and this will end again the same way." Fili noticed in a dreadfully painful voice.

"I never slept with Borin!" Kili immediately protested.

"Says the person who rejected me twice..." Fili noticed grimly.

"I was tired of begging you to move in... I was tired of begging for every single night... and you seemed less and less interested in me..." Kili continued crying. "It hurt so badly... I love you so fucking much and you didn't even acknowledge me as your lover..."

"You stopped saying it... so I didn't want to intrude..." Fili finally admitted.

"And you thought it was just a illusion? That I never truly loved you?" Kili's voice broke down, and when the blond nodded his heart sank.

"I stopped saying it because I thought you did not want to hear it... Every time you would look away, as if my words were a bother to you... Just because I stopped saying it, it doesn't mean I stopped loving you..." Kili noticed desperately. "I will always love you..." He held onto him desperately.

Fili slowly gave into the warm arms and rested his head in Kili's neck.

"I will always love you too... but I can't take any more pain." Fili slowly admitted. "If you ever do anything to hurt me again... don't count on a fourth chance. There will be no coming back to anything between us." He didn't have much hope in heart, but rejecting Kili was hurting as much as envisioning his life without him. Not having Kili in his life anymore would mean the same as death to him.

"I will never reject you ever again... just please be with me... stay with me at nights... move in... please..." Kili begged him in a pained voice.

"Fine... one last chance." Fili told him. "I'll move in."

Kili gazed at him with those huge brown eyes, and Fili saw a light in them. He gently leaned down and kissed him.

A knock on the door startled them. "Fili shift time soon." Dain's voice said calmly and he walked away.

"I need to go." Fili noticed kissing him tenderly.

"But you will come back for the night?" Kili asked with hope.

"Yes, I will." Fili agreed.


	12. Chapter 12

Thorin kept gazing at the blond. The boy was still silent, but everyone knew he spent yet another night at Kili's. On one hand he wanted to blast out in rage, but on the other hand his heart was softening to all the pain both boys were showing. And after a few bitter private discussion with Dain he agreed not to step in their way. Dain his pain in the ass. The cocky blond could read his mind when it came to sex. He knew when Thorin would need him, he would approach him now confidently. And the sync they were slowly reaching felt bizarre. Thorin never depended on anyone, he never truly trusted anyone, but here this guy marched into his life and became a bit more than Thorin wanted him to be.

His eyes focused on the blond again, and the tingling that he did seem familiar kept burning his gut, and the longer the thought about it, the longer he had a feeling it was important to remember.

"Set sail for home." He gasped at Nori. "It's time to go back."

"Finally!" Nori smiled happily.

Sailing home always felt great. Kili's smile was back on his face and he was slowly coming back to his old self. The nights with Fili soothed his pain, and the perspective of going back home was soothing his heart. He kept telling Fili about their house, but the blond would listen without enthusiasm. Fili was generally showing little enthusiasm, but Kili could not complained. He got what he wanted, the blond moved in, and he was with him. At night when alone he could become affectionate, but in front of everyone else he would act his gloomy self.

"Dale, the lonely port, it feels good to be home!" Nori smiled happily.

"Whatever..." Fili did not share his enthusiasm.

"Come on..." Kili forcefully pulled him ashore when the ship docked. "How long have you been on the sea nonstop?"

"Two years now?" Fili counted slowly. "Over two years."

"That's too fucking long. Come on." Kili pulled him.

"But someone should stay with the ship." Fili noticed slowly.

"Not your problem." Kili smiled and with a huge smile he guided him towards the huge house overlooking the bay. Many people smiled at him, and greeting him on the way, fairly surprised the heir was pulling a boy by the hand trough town.

"This is our home. From time to time." Kili smiled at him and guided him inside. "Gandalf we're home!" He yelled from the decorative doorway.

"Oh my!" An old man with a strange hat ran downstairs. "Kili!" He hugged the brunet.

"This is my friend Fili." Kili introduced Fili to the elderly man. "Fili, this is Gandalf, he takes care of the business, house and town here."

"It's a pleasure Sir." Fili calmly greeted him.

"Likewise... I have a strange feeling I've seen you before..." Gandalf smiled. "Whatever let's get something good to eat! I'll remember later on..." He smiled and rang for the servant.

When Thorin and Dain joined for dinner, Gandalf just raised an eyebrow and continued chatting about the town and everything that happened in the last months.

"Honestly, you should consider staying here longer, I'm getting too old for this." Gandalf complained lighting his pipe. "The place needs the owner, not just an old geezer trying to manage it."

"I'll think about it." Thorin noticed.

"There are some documents you should take a look at. Balin looted a very interesting ship recently and dropped by." Gandalf smiled and led Thorin to the office.

"I'd die for a real bath..." Kili smiled and rang for the servant to get it ready.

"Interesting indeed..." Thorin noticed looking at the cargo lists for The Surprize, clearly indicating it was transporting the thing he wanted most in the world.

"Where did you find that boy?" Gandalf asked him slowly.

"Both are survivors from The Surprize... why do you ask?" Thorin noticed slowly.

"The boy looks awfully familiar...Do you remember that young sailor we fished out twenty years ago or so?" Gandalf continued smoking. "He's like a living walking copy..."

"What are you hinting at old man? You know how much I hate your riddles..." Thorin hissed.

"You know the same man, your sister was dead set on getting her hands on?" Gandalf noticed sternly.

"So you think he might be the guy?" Thorin hissed remembering the past.

"The names rhyme, Villi, Fili, Kili..." Gandalf noticed. "It can't just be coincidence."

"You know what you're implying?" Thorin cringed.

"They might be brothers?" Gandalf asked with a strange smile. "It would be great if the boy had some more family."

"That's not the problem..." Thorin hissed. "These two... they are not really our friends... that's not why they are here with us..."

"Oh..." Gandalf's eyes went wide a bit. "That certainly makes this complicated." He noticed dully.

"The understatement of the year." Thorin grunted and walked out.

"So are you going to tell them?" Gandalf mused.

"To my grave." Thorin walked out and gazed into the distance.

THE END


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